Haven't Lost Any Weight Since Surgery (3 Weeks Ago)

[hrtgoeson 19]

Would figure I'd be the first to fail at this! My day of surgery weight was 187. Of course I went up a bit afterwards and my first goal was to get back to that weight. I thought it would be an easy goal but yesterday I was 187.6 and today back to 188. I'm at a loss. I'm exercising and eating pretty well, though not perfectly. But I'm so freakin frustrated I can hardly function. Any thoughts or suggestions?????? HELP!!?!?!!??!?!

[Janet53 21]

I have lots of thoughts on this. I am in a similar boat. I was 219 on surgery day and am one month out. Lost 6 pounds the first week, then none for 2 weeks and then 2. I saw my surgeon yesterday and shared my concerns since I had been reading about all these people losing 20 plus pounds the first month. He reminded me that a lot of people are a lot heavier to start out with and that the first month of surgery should be about healing and to not even focus on the weight loss because he doesn't. I felt alot better. And as starting weights go, yours is one of the smallest I have seen. I feel quite sure this has something to do with it. Also, your body is still recovering from the shock of the surgery and this takes time. Sometimes more time for some people than others. Try not to feel too discouraged because you will start losing!! You can't not lose with the small amount of calories you are taking in. Hang in there!! Good luck!

[Webchickadee 716]

Try to not panic! First thing to remember is that your starting BMI is quite low in relation to many people this forum. So for those of us who have higher BMIs, we've been eating many more calories a day to maintain that weight (prior to surgery). Suddenly, following surgery, we are eating 400-600 calories (and sometimes less) per day, whereas before, we might have been eating 3000+. Of course we're losing weight like crazy in the beginning!

As your weight (and therefore your Basal Metabolic Rate) is lower, you may have been only eating 2000 calories (or even less) to maintain your preo-op weight. Now, following surgery, you're probably in the 400-600 calorie range (and possibly higher if you're doing well with the protein).

So you're calorie difference pre and post surgery is only about 1400 calories a day (maybe a bit less). That means it will take you approx. 2-3 days to lose a pound (without exercise)! Whereas for me, my calories difference is probably at least twice that, and I'm losing a pound every 1-2 days (or better, since I'm also exercising!).

This is also the reason people weight loss slows down as they get closer to their goal. Their intake/output difference shrinks down to very little and it makes it much much harder to lose the weight without ramping up your exercise (since there's not much room to reduce calories any more at that point!).

I know, your response to that will be....."yes, but that means in 3 weeks, I should have already lost at least 8+ pounds". Maybe, maybe not! Have you been drinking all your fluids? You may be retaining Water. Have you had good bowel movements? That's very difficult to do in the beginning and you may be carrying a few pounds in your intestines! Also, as we eat less suddenly, a survival mechanism in our metabolism kicks in, trying to hold on to calories by slowing the metabolism down (because it thinks we are starving). Sometimes you have to actually increase your calorie intake a bit to fool back into the proper metabolism rate!

Try to take the long view and be patient (DAMN DAMN hard, I know!). You will get there. Try to keep the things I've mentioned in your mind and work on getting your Protein, fluids and exercise (even if it's just walking!) in.

I know this will work for you. Don't give up!

[hrtgoeson 19]

Janet, I'm glad your surgeon is supportive because when I saw mine two weeks after surgery he was very disappointed that I was only down 9 (all pre-op loss). He said I should be losing just as much as anyone else having surgery and my starting weight had nothing to do with it. I think he gave me a bit of a complex and that's why I'm so devastated that I haven't lost anything. He expects me to have lost a lot more by the time I see him again at the end of July and I just don't think I'm going to get there. I don't want to be the only person who manages to fail at this and according to him I already am!

When I had my lap-band I lost 90 and then gained back 30 and hten got the revision to the sleeve so I guess mine had even more of a shock since it was 2 surgeries in one (well, and a hernia repair to boot). It would just do so good for morale to get below that 187 and know that I"m on the right track because right now it doesn't seem like it.

I'm going to go bury my head somewhere now lol

[hrtgoeson 19]

Thanks WebChick, all of that makes a lot of sense. Am I perfect about the diet? Nope. I KNOW I'm not getting in near enough Protein and I'm struggling with Water but still, I would think there would be even a little movement. The BMs have been just about non-existant until I started the 'soft solids' stage yesterday and now seem to be picking up. I am supposed to be off my birth control for a month after surgery so since I"m so irregular off the pill I can't be sure but if I were on the pill I'd be starting TOM next week. I guess complaining about it isn't going to help, I just have to try to knuckle down and get my protein/water/exercise in and hopefully start up on losing again...sigh....I just see everyone down 20-30-40 lbs a couple weeks after surgery so to be down absolutely none - in fact up a lb - since surgery makes me so depressed! The rational side of me knows to not compare especially since starting out so low should indeed be a factor, but the emotional side can't help it.

[Webchickadee 716]

Complain away! It's important to get those feelings OUT in the open and not let them eat away at your motivation!

You mentioned BC pills and TOM. Another 2 factors that will affect you weight dramatically from day to day and week to week is your hormonal levels! So you've got lots going on "in the mix" right now! And of course the healing and recovery overlays everything else.

Feel free to feel down for a moment when you're comparing yourself to others (hard not to, I know). Then let that pass and turn to the positives (and grab that drink container and drink to it!) Try Protein shakes.....they will help you deal with 2 challenges simultaneously....protein and fluids! The more Protein you do now, the better for weight loss, muscle preservation, long-term preservation of your hair (hair loss sometimes doesn't make itself known for 3-4 months, and early protein helps prevent or at least reduce it!).

And of course, I forgot to mention that you should be taking body measurements! If you didn't do this just before your surgery, start now! Often times the body is changing dramatically and the scale doesn't reflect these changes. And many of us can't see the changes when we look in the mirror! Measurements done on a regular basis (I plan on doing mine monthly....so another 2 weeks for me to compare to my starting numbers) will help you see your progress even when the scale is being stubborn.

Good luck, and don't worry about venting. That's why we're here! Who better to understand how you feel, and to help you feel better?

[2BonederfulAgain 17]

I started at 232 day of surgery...10 days out i had lost 21 lbs...awesome! yay! dancing! last 4 days I havent lost anything, actually i gained a lb! How did that happen? For the lost my regular weight was 218 pretty steady and any short term attempt at diet or exercise got me to 207. Im 210.4 NO MOVEMENT...im active as i dont know what, up and down stairs all day, and getting most liquid in! What am I doing wrong? Am I supposed to gain a lb...this is nuts!

[lailabrownskinned 8]

Im about 2weeks out and first week I was loosing this week I gained some back. I do worry that mu body will start that yoyo effect, where u loose 10 n gain back 20.That's negativity I had to overcome n realize my body just went through a major change and I have to give it time to adjust..

Keep ur head up, the results will come..

[Webchickadee 716]

2BonederfulAgain, do not dispair! Many people experience a "stall" at week three and for some it's a bit earlier (week 2) or later (week 4-5). We're all different!

You may have extra waste built up in your colon (when was the last time you had a decent poop?).

It could be that your hormone levels are higher than normal at the moment (we have extra estrogen in our systems during rapid weight loss as it is released from our fat cells and floods our bodies), so you could be retaining Water as a result of that, which will up your weight.

Are you weighing yourself at the same time of day, same clothing or lack of clothing (I weight myself naked, to reduce any variables!). I always weight myself first thing in the morning, right after I pee and before I eat or drink anything. The time of day is fairly consistent and all other variables are fairly consistent too. That way, I can't blame gains on "too much clothes, I just ate, I haven't pee'd , etc. The main culprit is a lack of a bowel movement and that's not as easily controlled! LOL

If you're doing all those things and the weight is still the same, look to some other indicators that things are still progressing.....measurements can change, even when the scale doesn't. You might notice clothes are fitting more comfortably than before, or are getting too big (yeah!).

Take a look at what you're eating. At 3 weeks out you're probably still in full liquids, possibly on mushies (each surgeon is different). So, are you getting enough Protein? Enough calories?

Try to be as patient as possible (I know, I know.....that SUX). Our bodies have been throw a MAJOR curve ball. First we go on a pre-op diet (not every surgeon requires it, but most do and it varies from a few days to a few weeks!), then we have a major surgery, and then we suddenly STARVE ourselves (as our bodies see it).

Your body's fighting back! It thinks your under life-threatening attack and trying to save your life! Give it time to figure out that "it's all good" and it will come 'round and get you back on the losing track.

We're here if you have more questions, concerns, frustrations, anger....need to vent. That's what this place is for!

[Patrick Curl 424]

Stalls can also occur because you might've added muscle which weighs more than fat so say you gained 2 pounds of muscle, lost 1 pound of fat -you'd have gained a pound, but would look slimmer... and burn more fat faster. So its' really a win .. the scale is an evil predicter of success - check your measurements when the scale seems off.