Slow Weight Loss 3 weeks after Surgery

[Minxie89 1]

I was sleeved on 8/24/15 with a starting weight of 261.
I went in for a post op visit on 9/05/15 and weighed in at 245.

I have weighed myself every 3 days ever since then, and a few times my weight has gone UP! And now, almost two weeks later, I'm only down two pounds!

I'm just really confused. I tried to leave a message with my doctor's office but its 4 pm on a Friday, so hearing back from them in order to ease my mind before the weekend is a pipe dream if I ever heard one.

My question is, is it possible to be losing inches and visibly looking like I"m losing weight when really my scale is 'barely moving'? I'm concerned because I was told in the first couple months, the weight would be falling off. I've been following my surgeon's food plan which, according to other forums I've read tends to be one of the stricter diets. I did 2 weeks of low carb before surgery, 2 weeks of liquid after, and I'm now about 2 weeks into pureed food. I do a lot of Protein additives into fruit mixes with plain yogurt as the base. I also do a lot of Atkins Protein shakes. I'm not doing that great on my Water intake, and I feel like maybe my body is holding on to Water and thus water weight. I'm only experiencing BMs about once every 3 days. At my last visit, they told me having a BM only about once every 2-3 days is fairly normal... but sometimes I'm not sure if it is.

Please give me your two cents because I really am concerned with my results thus far.

[Bufflehead 6,358]

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/351046-embrace-the-stall/

[Minxie89 1]

Love the canned response... thanks, I guess.

[imsoglad56 402]

Love the canned response... thanks, I guess.

Did it not have good information that helped explain what you're going through?

[Minxie89 1]

it was very informative but not very supportive. It also assumes that I have not done a simple google search. I wanted to have a conversation.. facilitating shared experiences, maybe some reassurance... but that's okay. Now I understand how this community operates.

[imsoglad56 402]

it was very informative but not very supportive. It also assumes that I have not done a simple google search. I wanted to have a conversation.. facilitating shared experiences, maybe some reassurance... but that's okay. Now I understand how this community operates.

So you ask about stalls wanting conversation, shared experiences, and reassurance; a poster gives you a link to a thread about stalls where there's conversation, experience sharing, and reassurance; so you get all passive-aggressive about "how this community operates"? Oooookay.

[Babbs 14,681]

You want a conversation? Okay, here it is.

What you are going through is completely normal. 99% of us went through it. It's called the "Dreaded 3 Week Stall". No, you're not failing. No, you're not doomed. No, you're not doing anything wrong. It's physiological. In laymen's terms, your body just takes a break after the rapid weight loss to adjust. Expect to completely stop losing here soon. It may last a week, or it may last several. Hard to say. Not much you can do about this particular stall except ride it out. Once it's over, expect to start losing at a more "normal" pace of 2-4 pounds a week. And yes, you will probably stall again. And again. And go up a pound or even 2. Then lose it again. Then go back up 1. Then lose 3. It's all just part of the normal fluctuations our bodies do. You'll get used to it over time.

Now, here comes the science:

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.

[Babbs 14,681]

Oh, and as far as the poster who linked you to the very awesome, very correct and very informative thread about stalls, I'm sorry you thought the response was "canned". But you also have to understand, this question comes up about 5,623,125 times a month. If you're on here long enough, you'll see what I mean....lol.

And who told you the weight was going to just "fall off" the first couple of months?

[Movingroovin 2]

Minnie stay away from Atkins Protein and the fruit these are excessive carbs my Physican strictly forbids it. Here is a list of Proteins not recommended by my Surgeon: Atkins, Slim Fast, Carnation Instant Breakfast, Special K, Ensure, Boost, Glucerna, Equate. Change protein increase Water and eliminate fruit and the scales will change.

[Minxie89 1]

Thanks, I appreciate the suggestions.

[mimorison 12]

I just posted the same thing my surgery was on 8/26. Can't wait to see the scale moving because I'm eating very little.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Love the canned response... thanks, I guess.

Hey, I take offense to that. I wrote that "canned" response this morning with one finger, on my phone, thank you very much.

(Thanks for referencing it @Bufflehead.)

I was going to respond with "Embrace the Stall!" Before I saw @Buffleheads' post.

Maybe I could print that on a t-shirt or something.

@@Minxie89, all kidding aside, what everyone else said is so true. What you are experiencing is a very normal (and may I add necessary) part of the process.

Embrace the Stall!

[Bufflehead 6,358]

Or maybe I thought the post I linked for you was the best I had seen on the topic, and was excited to share it with you because I thought it was so great and better than anything I could have written myself. You're welcome, I guess.

[PAB3 20]

Minxie...im only 1.5 weeks out and ive heard of this stall several times. It happens at 3 weeks then could happen every time your diet changes ex: from liquid to pureed, pureed to soft etc...I think jus tkeep doing your plan and it eventually breaks. I have also heard Atkins shakes aren't the best and too much fruit could be sabotaging yourself. I drink premier Protein shakes and am only on full liquids so no fruit for me yet. I think you are supposed to be getting 60-80 grams Protein and 64 oz Fluid ...always protein first...so maybe eat the yogurt or cottage cheese then the fruit if you need more. As I said I am new to this as well so following your specific plan is best.

There is also a Facebook group that is closed and no one can see your posts...its called baratric eating support, I have found this very helpful as I learn day by day!!

Good luck in your journey!!