Help! Why Aren't the Scales Moving

[Shakey22 0]

Hello fellow Notorious Novembers,

I need your help. I was banded on November 4, a little over two weeks ago. Although I've lost 12 pounds, the scales haven't moved in over a week -- since I went from liquids to mushies. I've been following the diet 100% and have been as active as possible. I was even up a pound this morning which, although I know this sounds irrational, made me want to cry.

I just can't understand why the scales aren't moving given how little I'm eating.

Is anyone else struggling with this problem?

Oh, and the constipation! I'm doing my best to get the Water in, but things are not moving. My doctor said to try Milk of Magnesia, which doesn't work or Senekot (I'm still waiting!)

Anyway, thanks for replying. I know I might lose a bit slower than average because I have less to lose than some, but this is ridiculous. I don't know what I was expecting, but it sure wasn't this.

:thumbup:

[gentylwind 1]

Most people experience a lull in loss around week 3-5 from what I have read. This is due to healing, your body having to readjust to solids, Constipation (as you mentioned) etc. Just keep doing what you are supposed to be doing and have faith. It WILL work if you don't decide to start "testing" your band to see if things you aren't supposed to have will go through anyway and if you don't give up! Just be patient. The band does not work the way RNY/gastric bypass does. It gives a much slower weight loss. The lull in loss at week 3 is why my surgeon does not do the Optifast pre-op he said. The body gets kind of shocked by the reintroduction of solids.

[Kaitiana 0]

The first few weeks to months after being banded are all about healing up and letting your body adjust to the band. Some people are lucky enough to lose consistently right from the get-go, but a lot of people lose little to no weight until they reach that "sweet spot" of restriction which can take several fills to reach. It sucks--and is the reason a lot of people call it "Bandsters Hell." But if you keep on following the recommended bandster diet, exercising, and staying strong, you will eventually reach that "sweet spot" and start losing steadily. It's very important not to compare your weight loss to that of other people's, even though I know how very hard it is not to do that. We are all different, and every bandster loses weight at a different rate. Just try to hang in there and know that you're not alone!

[Shakey22 0]

Thank you both for your replies and encouragement. Although I know, intellectually, that this will take time and that I have to be patient, emotionally, this is a real difficult time. I have read about "bandster hell", but I've also seen so many people here who say the pounds just keep rolling off. I was so hopeful that I'd be one of them, but I guess I won't be that fortunate.

I'll keep on keeping on as they used to say.

[amylynns 802]

I'm so glad you posted this! I was starting to feel a little bit like that. When I went to mushies--I was terrified for one thing, that I'd start gaining. In fact, I did gain 1.5 pounds one day and about had a heart attack! I was also having some Constipation problems. But weird thing is, once I started going---I went all liquid again. Maybe it was something I had eaten, but I lost 3 pounds between yesterday and today because of it. If you like warm tea, try that. It seemed to help me "get going.":crying:

Has anyone had this problem? When I got home from the hospital, I felt the restriction BIG TIME---although my band had not been tightened at all. I believe it was just from the swelling in there...but now I don't feel that hardly at all. And I'm SO scared I'm eating too much...because I'm feeling alot more hungry now. Not sure what to do about that???

Also this past Tuesday I thought I had torn something inside because my one big incision was hurting really bad Tuesday night. Everytime I'd wake up during the night and tried rolling over, it hurt just terrible. Then when I got up in the morning and got in the shower, I just about passed out. In fact, if I stood upright at all,I would have passed out. So I crawled out of the shower, got down stairs and had my daughter call my husband. (He was working the 7PM- 7AM shift, so due to be home in 1/2 hour) So he came right home, I called the Dr who told me to come to the ER. (which is 45 mins away) So they did x-rays and blood work, and found out I was dehyrated!!? That didn't even cross my mind--I thought I had torn something inside because I had lifted my 2 yr old the night before. But thank goodness, that's all it was. So they gave me 2 bags of fluids and I felt better pretty quick. They said all the pain was from being dehyrated too...which I didn't realize would happen. My surgeon came in and told me that at this stage your body is working super over time to heal up all that tissue that was cut through--also where the port is stitched in..so I guess I just used up more of my body's resources than I realized.

So I'm trying to up my liquid intake (although I thought I was getting plenty!).

Sorry I wrote a book!!

[Shakey22 0]

Hi Amylynns,

Your pain and ER visit sound very frightening. I had a similar experience that, based on your experience, I now feel may have been dehydration as well. I was in quite severe pain for a couple of days, but it resolved on its own. I was going to go to the ER if it got any worse, but thankfully, it didn't.

I also had a similar experience with being hungry and feeling like I didn't have any restriction once the swelling from the surgery went down. Initially, I had a difficult time even getting Water down, then it felt like there was no restriction at all. What I discovered with the hunger was that although I certainly missed food and felt like I could eat a lot more, if I paid attention to my body, I wasn't really hungry. I tested this by carefully measuring everything that went into my mouth and I found that I was not any more "hungry" when I strictly limited my intake than when I let myself eat a bit more. I've also found that it really helps to take 30 seconds between bites. That really slows me down and gives my tummy a chance to let me know it's full. I'm at three weeks post-surgery and I find now that sometimes I eat and feel like there's absolutely no restriction and sometimes I can really tell the band is there. I eat a little bit (slowly) and I get that signal from my tummy that I've eaten enough.

I'm still struggling with the scales and with Constipation. I find that if I eat anything I haven't prepared, even canned Soup, that has more sodium, I'll retain Water and the scales will go up.

I'm proud of myself, though, as we went to New York for the weekend and I managed to stick with my eating plan. I took some food with me and when in restaurants, I was able to find something semi-mushy to eat. Portion Control was a challenge, but I tried to estimate proper amounts and when I'd eaten that amount, I asked to have the plate taken away so I couldn't eat more.

I'm finding that I have to use a laxative on a fairly regular basis now.

The main thing I keep telling myself is that this is a long-term process and that it will take a while for the results to show up on the scale. I just try to eat good foods in correct portions and to gradually increase my exercise. I guess I thought there would be some significant drop initially that would be effortless. I guess I'm not so lucky.

[SunnyRachel 7]

I was banded on 11/4 too, and I just want to see how you were doing now since you posted this originally.

So how is it going?

[Shakey22 0]

SunnyRachel,

I'm doing really well. I've lost 19 pounds since surgery day, which I guess is pretty quick -- doesn't feel quick enough though.

The Constipation issue has improved a lot since getting off liquids.

How are you doing?