Confused and Depressed

[amboyle728 71]

Can someone please tell me how it is physically possible to consume less than 600 calories a day, consume 75 plus grams of Protein every day, drink 64 oz of Fluid every day and actually GAIN a pound instead of lose???

I am 13 days post-op and already remarkably frustrated by the lack of progress. I've lost a meager 8 lbs since surgery (which is a spit in the ocean for me), am still on full liquids and so very, very upset and even embarrassed by the lack of movement of the scale.

Am I going to be "the one" for whom this doesn't work despite my best efforts? Did I do all this for nothing???

I can't even begin to tell you how discouraged I am

WHY ISN'T THIS WORKING???

[Cherylmilla 160]

Breath in and out. When you first have surgery, you are pumped full of fluids and all that, so you actually go up in weight. And it comes off. It all didn't come on overnight (but I know how easy a gain is, compared to a loss). My best advice - don't look at everyone else's numbers and stats, or you're going to drive yourself mad. I did that in the beginning. But everybody (emphasis on body) is different. It will work for you. You started at 250, so you may lose slower than someone who started at 450 (that's more fact). Every pound is great and when was the last time you lost 8 lbs in 13 days? That's an AMAZING accomplishment. Don't stress yourself out and keep working your program. You'll do wonderfully!! ❤️

[catwoman7 11,223]

I lost 16 lbs the first month, and I started out way heavier than you. Plus almost everyone has their first stall within the first month after surgery. There are lots of factors that influence your rate of weight loss, and the above poster is right - at 250, you're not going to lose nearly as fast as someone who starts out at 450 lbs. As long as you're seeing a general downward trend, you're fine.

P.S. as far as gaining a pound, who knows. Hormones? Constipation? Water retention from some high-sodium meal? Any of those can cause a slight - and temporary - weight gain. As long as you're eating what you're supposed to be eating, your weight will drop again.

Edited March 5, 2020 by catwoman7

[summerset 5,265]

13 minutes ago, Cherylmilla said:

When you first have surgery, you are pumped full of fluids and all that, so you actually go up in weight.

Indeed. I went up 5 kg.

[RSMKEM 18]

I started out at 263. I was so pumped up with fluids and constipated that I did not really start losing until week 3! At 7 days, i was only down 6 lbs. I am now at month 11 and have lost exactly 100 pounds. Don’t give up hope!! Just keep doing what you’re doing and it will happen. I totally understand where you’re coming from. There have been so many times that I kept thinking that it’s not working or it has stopped working but since I’ve been sticking with my plan, the weight is still coming off.

[amboyle728 71]

I don't know. I agree with everything you are all saying. I was so encouraged 2 weeks prior to surgery, when I was on a liquid diet and I quickly dropped 14 lbs. So I guess I expected more of a dramatic change after surgery.

Now I just can't shake the sinking feeling that it's not going to work. No matter what I do or how hard I try, it won't work. That's been my experience for 57 years of dieting and mentally, I just can't get over that hurdle of believing it will work. My heads in a really bad place right now.

[catwoman7 11,223]

35 minutes ago, amboyle728 said:

I don't know. I agree with everything you are all saying. I was so encouraged 2 weeks prior to surgery, when I was on a liquid diet and I quickly dropped 14 lbs. So I guess I expected more of a dramatic change after surgery.

Now I just can't shake the sinking feeling that it's not going to work. No matter what I do or how hard I try, it won't work. That's been my experience for 57 years of dieting and mentally, I just can't get over that hurdle of believing it will work. My heads in a really bad place right now.

most people who start out at your BMI aren't going to drop 30 or 40 lbs the first month. Those tend to be people who weight 300 or 400 or 500 lbs. You WILL lose weight as long as you follow your clinic's eating plan. I told you I lost 16 lbs during the first MONTH. Then until about month six, I lost about 8-12 lbs a month. Then it dropped even further. And don't forget I started out A LOT heavier than you are. I ended up losing 100% of my excess weight. It WILL work if you follow your program. It takes some of us longer than others, but you WILL get there if you're committed to it.

[NovaLuna 710]

My advice is to not weigh yourself because you're stressing yourself out. I know it's hard and you want to know how you're doing, but it's discouraging to see it coming off so slowly. Tomorrow will be my six week surgiversary and I've lost 30 pounds since my surgery. That's amazing to me even if other people had bigger losses in their first six weeks. We are all different and our bodies work different. I was told month two and three (and for some people month one) are slow months that people seem to hit a wall that they struggle to get past. So when I do weigh myself and don't see huge results I try to be positive that at least I'm seeing some weight loss, even if it's small amounts. On average I was losing 7-8 pounds a month before my surgery and now I loose that in half the time. So that's a good thing and proves that the surgery IS a success. You've lost 8 pounds in 13 days and that's great! Be proud of yourself and don't stress about it! More weight will come off, it just takes time and effort.

[ShortBuddah710 7]

I used to love the muscle milk rtd but now..... It's leaving an almost sour aftertaste and super bloated, like forever. Anyone else's taste and smell change post op. Like my sense of smell especially around food is much more... Sensitive

[biginjapan 647]

11 hours ago, summerset said:

Indeed. I went up 5 kg.

Me too. I’m still in the hospital and weighed myself 24 hours after my surgery. Up 2.5 kilos. Luckily I won’t have access to a scale until late next week so I don’t have to worry about that headgame.

However, to the OP, having surgery doesn’t automatically kickstart everything into high gear all at once. If you look at the stats many people lose between 10-25 pounds the first month, depending on starting weight/BMI and surgery done. The scale may show little to no movement. But things are happening in your body. Even when I had stalls on after my first surgery, I was still losing weight, as I could feel it and see it in the way my clothes fit. I also had a ton more energy.

Don’t just focus on the numbers on the scale, there are a lot of non-scale victories to look out for.

[amboyle728 71]

Thank you everybody! My scale is now under my bed and will only come out for a visit once a month.

My doctor said to expect weight loss of about 10 lbs a month but to focus more on inches than the numbers on the scale. He also reminded me that although I feel good, there is still a lot of healing going on. Just like the incisions on the outside are not yet healed, so too the incisions on the inside are still healing with residual swelling, etc.

I've started puree foods and feel much more human now, without the radical mood swings I was experiencing, being on liquids for nearly a month straight (pre and post surgery).

Yesterday, I tried on shirt that was way too small prior to my surgery, and lo and behold, it fit perfectly! That provided the mental boost I was looking for!

I appreciate all your kind, patient and honest input and advise--you guys ROCK!