On The Verge Of Mental Collapse

[MouseOnTheMile 186]

Pre op liquid diet, Day 8 of 15.

I lost 6 pounds the first two days then stalled the last five days. This morning I got on the scale and was happy to see the stall broken, down almost another three. I weighed after my BM and shower and figured I'd weigh again after I dried off.

Dry hair and feeling like I was gonna be a full three pounds down, I stepped on the scale to be bewildered by a two pound increase, half a pound difference from where I have been the last five days. I was dry, naked and hadn't eaten or drank anything yet and so I am now ready to freak out, give up and eat all the burgers. This b******t makes no sense! I am on the verge of tears all the time.

I have done low carb diets in the past and lost 38 pounds in two weeks. Now I'm on liquids for 15 days and losing nothing. I'd rather make sensible choices and lose the weight then this pointless suffering for nothing. I know it'll help for when I'm out of surgery and blah blah blah but ffs I'm BEYOND frustrated. If I'm denied surgery after all of this I might kill some one.

At this point I don't need support, I need a gosh darn lobotomy.

Edited November 4, 2013 by MouseOnTheMile

[Roo101769 742]

Unless I am wrong and missed something the pre op liquid diet is not about weight loss, but shrinking fat in your liver. Weight loss is or is not a side effect. Do not worry about the scale at this point. If you are this upset now, then get some help before surgery. Because you aren't always going to lose weight post op. Will you lose? Yes. Will it be what you want? Only time will tell.. Will you lose all the time until it is all gone? NO!!!! There will be stalls. There might even be times you gain. But if you stay the course you will get there. Do not be discouraged so early out. This is a LONG HAUL deal. Re-evaluate if you are truly ready if you are so heartbroken at such and early point... And I do wish you much luck and success if you continue!

[McButterpants 2,846]

I'm on day 5 of my pre-op diet. While I knew going in that the pre-op diet is not for weight loss, I have enjoyed getting on the scale and seeing a lower number every day...until today.

I was bummed, then I had to talk myself down. It isn't for weight loss - it's to shrink your liver so it's not in the way during surgery.

Seriously, I know how you feel and I had the bad thoughts this morning about how I failed again. But, when you look at it logically, if you're restricting calories as you are on the pre-op, is there any way you will not lose? The fluctuations will happen - I need to remind myself to not weigh every day. I'm not good when I do that.

Best of luck to you, sweetie. Hang in there! Soon you will be melting away.

[pink97 3]

My weight has tapered off a lot too, and I'm almost 3 weeks out. My surgeon said it could be 2 reasons: Your body is used to getting it's energy (to metabolize things) from carbs, and being on our new diet that consists of almost zero carbs our bodies are adjusting to finding new ways to create energy. Also, I'm not sure if you've begun working out yet, but when we work out we're converting our fat to muscle, and muscle weighs more so there will be a plateau in your weight for a while. But don't be discouraged! Keep it up and stick to your diet (as much as possible, nobody's perfect) and try and get your exercise in. Like I said, no one's perfect, so do your best and try to stay positive! The chat room is also a great source for support for people who understand what you're going through.

I hope I helped!

[MouseOnTheMile 186]

I asked if they do a test for if my liver is small enough and was told they just go by how much weight I lose preop. So yes, it is about weight loss at this point.

I am fully ready for stalls post op. I don't care if I'm a fast or slow loser because I know it'll happen with time and effort and thats why I'm doing it young, cause I have lots of time to reach my goals.

But when I have paid a great deal of money to travel and have a surgery done and only have two weeks to get done to their projected weight and their diet is not working and if I go there and they don't operate that's waste cash on flights, then yes, I have more than a right to be distraught about the scale not showing my efforts.

Edited November 4, 2013 by MouseOnTheMile

[Brighteyes 237]

I was right there with you just a couple days ago. Don't stress. Stop weighing yourself everyday. Keep powering through this mental game and get to surgery health and meeting your docs requirements. The weights going to come off. Trust the process.

[MouseOnTheMile 186]

Thank you for the kind words everyone. It's the time frame that has me freaked out. If they weren't going by weight loss as the signature for if my liver is small enough, I wouldn't be nearly as freaked out.

Edited November 4, 2013 by MouseOnTheMile

[PdxMan 4,292]

Take a deep breath.

Panic is not the solution. Knowledge is.

First off, when you go on these diets pretty much everybody who complies loses the "quick 10" as this is your body burning through the glycogen stored in the liver. You are not burning fat (at least as much as you may believe you are) After this initial loss, you body must now turn to muscle and fat repositories converting them to glycogen for energy. This is a much slower process. So, you compliance is key and the reason why most people give up on diets after the first week as they stop seeing the "amazing" results. This is quite normal and should actually encourage you as you have moved from burning the stored glycogen to actually tapping fat and muscle. Stay with the Protein, though, so as not to lose too much muscle.

How much weight do they want you to lose?

Edited November 4, 2013 by PdxMan

[Arts137 1,811]

Stop weighing yourself if you can. It seems to be making you long for a lobotomy.

And yes you certainly lose on a liquid fast, but the scale is designed by a mad scientist to increase his lobotomy business.

Just follow the program, and all will work out.

Oh if your scale needs batteries, try a change...

I think I'll have a lobotomy too.

[MouseOnTheMile 186]

How much weight do they want you to lose?

I started at 259, they want me at 245 and I've stalled at 253 for most of it. I understand the science behind it, I was a bio major once upon a time.

My scale must be screwing with me, to put me down and then up two in an hour without any intake of food doesn't make sense. Debating buying a new one tonight and burning this one for its treachery.

[McButterpants 2,846]

How much weight will I lose with a lobotomy?!?!

Great words of wisdom, per usual, from PDX and Arts.

[imfatpat 64]

I started at 259' date=' they want me at 245 and I've stalled at 253 for most of it. I understand the science behind it, I was a bio major once upon a time. My scale must be screwing with me, to put me down and then up two in an hour without any intake of food doesn't make sense. Debating buying a new one tonight and burning this one for its treachery.[/quote']

My scale reads differently throughout the day. Stay on plan and things will work out.

And try to let the stress go I always hold on to weight when I'm stressed!

[PdxMan 4,292]

!!RED FLAG ALERT!!

... to put me down and then up two in an hour without any intake of food ...

You can't do this to yourself. If you were a bio major, then you know the body is going to hold on and release fluids all day long. It makes absolutely no sense to weigh yourself more than once a day. As was suggested above, stop weighing yourself. It will do you no good. Will the information the scale returns change how well you comply with your diet? What kind of a diet do they have you on?

I was on a lean and green with Protein shakes for 2 weeks. My surgeon told me afterwards how I must have been compliant with the diet because my liver was so easy to work with.

All you can do is your best. Ditch the scale altogether and just do the right thing. That is all you really can do, anyway.

Edited November 4, 2013 by PdxMan

[LindafromFlorida 1,542]

Keep the faith, your long-term goal in perspective, and if weighing stresses you out, do not weigh. I am 2 weeks pre-op and my husband 4 weeks pre-op and he will not weigh. Please keep yourself busy at something because stressing will lead me right to hunger, so I am trying to chill out. I have been through a lot in my life, as all have, and I am as calm as ever in my life. When I start feeling agitated I will bring out the paint can and paint my dining room.

[MouseOnTheMile 186]

!!RED FLAG ALERT!!

You can't do this to yourself. If you were a bio major' date=' then you know the body is going to hold on and release fluids all day long. It makes absolutely no sense to weigh yourself more than once a day. As was suggested above, stop weighing yourself. It will do you no good. Will the information the scale returns change how well you comply with your diet? What kind of a diet do they have you on?

I was on a lean and green with Protein shakes for 2 weeks. My surgeon told me afterwards how I must have been compliant with the diet because my liver was so easy to work with.

All you can do is your best. Ditch the scale altogether and just do the right thing. That is all you really can do, anyway.[/quote']

The only reason I weighed myself twice today was because the first time was foolishly done right after my shower. I figured the number was skewed, after all my hair was soaking. So I weighed again after I dried off, thinking that would give me a far more accurate result.

I'm on a 15 day liquids only diet. So far it seems my diet has been one of the more strict preops on this forum. Three Protein Shakes (I'm using the lowest low cal, low carb, high Protein I should find to minimize intake of empty calories) and 64 oz of Water. I can have up to four pounds of greens if I'm exceptionally hungry but I've tried to keep that at a minimum as I didn't want to be cheating in any way.