Not loosing weight! Help!

[svasquez 13]

Hello..i am 20 days post op and i feel so worried and stressed. I have only lost about 15lbs since the pre op diet wich was 3 days along with post op diet. I dont know why i am stuck on the weight..should'nt the first weeks be when you loose the most? Ive failed at loosing weight all my life that i am scared to death ill fail at this too..i need a friend who's had surgery around august 20..can anyone relate? Am i going nuts?

Everything i read says that the first month is when you loose a whole bunch..and my scale just wont go down..this is so deppressing

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Don't be depressed. What you are experiencing is very common. You are recovering from major surgery which included lots of IV fluids and swelling. Plus, almost everyone experiences a stall about week three as your body catches up to the trauma.

As long as you focus on following your post-op instructions, reaching your Protein target, and staying hydrated, you will be fine. If the number on the scale is going to depress you, then stay off the scale.< /p>

[svasquez 13]

Thank you..my husband wants to throw it away..and i think i will, i dont want to get discouraged..

I appreciate your words

[Whitney1968 54]

I had surgery on Aug. 19th but then had complications and was sent back to the hospital for emergency surgery again on Aug. 24th. I came home with more weight on me than before I was admitted to the hospital. Like svasquez said, your body is catching up to the trauma. I'm the kind of person to get on the scale at least twice a day. I get discouraged everytime I don't see a pound being lost. It will come, don't worry. I got depressed and everyone that had surgery that I have become friends with on here is going through the same thing. I'm sick of broth, broth, broth.

[Whitney1968 54]

I had surgery on Aug. 19th but then had complications and was sent back to the hospital for emergency surgery again on Aug. 24th. I came home with more weight on me than before I was admitted to the hospital. Like svasquez said, your body is catching up to the trauma. I'm the kind of person to get on the scale at least twice a day. I get discouraged everytime I don't see a pound being lost. It will come, don't worry. I got depressed and everyone that had surgery that I have become friends with on here is going through the same thing. I'm sick of broth, broth, broth.

[UalreadyKnow 843]

I had mine on August 27, I too have only lost 15lbs. I mean I wish it was 30 but I know I'm doing everything I'm supposed to be doing, so at this point, if I stay a fatty.... I've really truly tried everything in my power not to be. Hey look at whales they swim all day and eat fish, yet they're still big fat whales!!! Maybe we're just mermaids!!!!!!????????

[svasquez 13]

Haha maybe! Thank you! It feels good to know that others are going through the same thing too at least i hope it's a normal

[Babbs 14,681]

I know it's hard, but PATIENCE PATIENCE PATIENCE.

You didn't gain all the weight overnight, and you certainly aren't going to lose it overnight. These things take time. Yes, even with WLS. Put your nose to the grindstone, keep working your program, and it will come off. I promise.

Our bodies are weird. You would think barely eating would cause the weight to fall off, but it just isn't as simple as that sometimes. With the surgery comes trauma, hormones going crazy, etc...it's not all about "calories in, calories out" right after surgery. It's so much more complicated than that. Here's why you either don't lose a lot or stall so early out:

A "stall" a few weeks after surgery is not uncommon, and here's why.

Our bodies use glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, but it is stored in our muscles for quick energy -- one pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs. of Water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when a patient is not getting in enough food, the body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. Then when 2 lbs. of glycogen is used a patient will also lose 8 lbs. of Water that was used to store it -- voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs. that most people lose in the first week of a diet.

However, when the body stays in a caloric deficit state the body starts to realize that this is not a short-term problem. Then the body starts mobilizing fat from adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But the body also realizes that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. As it puts back the 2 lbs. of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs. of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though the patient might still be losing energy content to their body, the weight will not go down or it might even gain for a while as the retention of water dissolves the glycogen that is being reformed and stored.

[UalreadyKnow 843]

Wow!!! Never knew that! That's great info, good to know we're not doomed

[Babbs 14,681]

@@UalreadyKnow

Not even CLOSE to doomed

[svasquez 13]

Thank you!!

[Bean80128 80]

Babbs,

THANK YOU! i have been getting frustrated that my 30# in month 1 seems to be all the weight i am going to lose (stalling for 3 weeks now). I have been really befuddled about why my 600 calorie per day diet isn't resulting in any loss. Now I know. Maybe now that it makes more sense I can quit freakin' out!

[Folly 308]

@@Babbs

You just gave a medical explanation for what I have been describing. I tell people it feels like my body is storing up energy and nutrients, when "the tank gets full it dumps more weight". (Which is why I think it's incorrect to consider yourself in a stall just because the scale doesn't report weight loss every time you step on it).

AWESOME! Thank you for knowing this and sharing it with others!!!

[mimic86 23]

@@Babbs thank you sooooo much for that!!! I've been stressing so much about this! That really eases my mind and makes me feel a lot better...wow thank you!....@@svasquez I am in the same boat as you, I had my surgery 8/18/2015 and I got weighed at the doctors office 8/28/2015 and I was 18 pounds down which I was excited about (That included my 2 day pre op diet). Now it has been 11 days and I have not lost an additional pound even though I'm meeting my Protein and Water requirements and I have been working out some (like 30 min walks etc). I've been so stressed about this but that information from Babbs makes me feel sooooo much better!!!

Edited September 8, 2015 by mimic86

[mimic86 23]

I have a question to add...how long to "stalls" typically last? I know they can vary from person to person but what is the typical time or the longest time that one has lasted? Is there anything to do that can shorten the time frame of a stall? Just asking, thanks for any input :-)