What honeymoon period!

Okay guys I can't hold it in anymore. I know everyone feels this way to a certian extent but I am having no honeymoon period! I am not losing, and in just 4-5 days it will be a full 4 weeks of NOTHING! Now I have heard just hang in there, it will happen, ect but I'm not beliving it so much anymore. I don't eat alot, and am excersizing so what gives? Most of the time I do fairly well with water and protien. I could raise my protien honestly but its not horrible. What happened to the honeymoon period where it just comes off no matter what and the stuff you hear about you really can't keep from losing the first 6 months its just happens. NOT HERE.....and of all things my Dr.s nurse said well if you lose 5lbs a month in a year you'll be doing good, right now I'm at 229 by the time I'm 6 months out I'll only have lost 44lbs in six months I won't even be below the 200lb mark and no thats not good it royaly sucks and I don't know one person that wouldn't think it did! What the hell is wrong with me guys. Something is NOT right and I'm ready to give up! I'm the only one here or anywhere else(boards) thats isn't losing or has lost so little in the time I had surgery and not lost for as long as I have this early out, I have been reading every post an from what I have read I should be upset. Why is this happening.............

Hi Marty: You are not the only one losing slow! I was thinking about posting something like this myself. I went to my 5 week appt and only lost 16 lbs and I thought I had at least lost 20 lbs. I am truly disgusted! However, my surgeon stated that because I am top heavy (my legs are small), that I may either lose slowly (3-5 lbs per week) or either it will take a few months for my weight loss to pick up. He stated that there is NO way that I will not lose the weight if I follow instructions (protein, exercise, water, vitamins). I think I may stop reading the boards for a little while because it is really depressing to see other people's weight fall off. I am happy for them, but I am sad for me. Right now, I can't even start shopping for new clothes because my clothes still fit. I don't want to be wearing the same size when the spring hits. How are you going to give up???? There is absolutely no way of giving up because you'll just make yourself sick! If you stop your vitamins, you will really be sick. If you eat too much or start eating junk food this early out, you will be sick. We have no choice but to stick with it. The way I see it is if you stop exercising, yoour weight loss may stop. That goes fo rme too. Read Dame Tooter's profile for encouragement. Feel free to email me too. Maybe we should talk to each other for encouragement. What do you think? Monique

Here's an honest answer..If I were you...I'd be really upset too...in fact..I would be freaking out! I have lost a bit more..but even I am not thrilled with the results so far...I did not risk my life and $$$$$$$ to lose in dribs and drabs and at the same pace that I could have lost it myself. We even have to work to keep it off after the so called honeymoon...so where is the big advantage???? I obviously missed something in the fine print. I also am an apple..all the weight through the middle with thin arms and legs..and also am diabetic..my doc told me that due to that and age..my metabolisim might be slower...but of course I was not told this BEFORE surgery. The cheerleaders and Mary Sunshine advice from the main board gets a bit sickening after awhile...but this other poster is right..we have no choice but to stay the course. Hope things get better! Sher'

Dame Tooter is encouraging to me because she started off extremely slow, but then went on to loose more than 175 lbs! Now that is inspiration! I wonder whether situps and crunches will help with our weight in the middle? I also was not told before surgery that because of my shape, I may lose slower. I would have tried to prepare myself. Anyway, ladies, do you think that we will lose a significant amount of weight (like 60 lbs) before 3 or 4 months?

I understand your frustration. I too was on a big high reading the Alabama boards and people with weight loses of 40 lbs a month etc. Now I stick to the Community board where I can find more realistic and comparable experiences. I am 6 weeks out and lost 25 lbs, (10 prior to surgery). I have been weak and wobbly, shaky, and sickly, and anemic and tired. I have lots more to lose than you and thought the bigger the faster you'll lose. Not so. I'm diabetic and my doctor tells me now that will slow down the process. I had a metabolic test done and I had an extremely low metabolic result (1100 calories intake a day without gaining weight) So. I'm resigned now to look for little tiny increments of a pound a week. As some of the other replies stated, it's a done deal now. And hopefully we'll be able to look back in six months and say hey.........this wasn't so bad a decision after all. Try to keep your spirits up! Dianne

Dianne: Did your doctor say what would help you to increase your metabolism? Or did s/he give you any suggestions? Monique

Advice I've gotten. Eat a little protein every two hours. This keeps your body from going into starvation mode and hanging onto your fat, and also speeds up your metabolism. Try to eat 800 calories a day. And drink at least 64 oz of water, which I just cannot do yet. I get closer to 50 a day, but I do get my protein in(at least 60 grams) a day. And of course.......EXERCISE. When you're shaky, wobbly and weak, this is no small feat. I just keep trying. I've gotten up to 20 minutes a day on the treadmill, but this is just in the last 4 or 5 days. And..............weight loss for the week-Drumroll please-----------a measly two pounds. So as you can see, it was advice, but don't know if it will work yet. I'll keep trying, and I know you'll spirits will improve too. Dianne

Oh Marti, I sooo understand and I'm so sorry there are so many of us in the same boat. I am extremely positive but I don't want to hear one more, "Just hang in there, it will happen." I had my doctor's appt. yesterday and per his scale I've only lost 16 pounds! I told him I'm not responsible for what happens to him if this doesn't soon change! : ) He told me to cut down on the protein (I'm getting in 100-125gm/day). Other than that he says it's fine, and it should take a year or so to lose it all (about 120#). Like you all, I was under the impression it would be a LOT faster. I would give up too but I'm afraid of hurting myself so I guess we're stuck. I will say, though, that my diabetes is almost gone and my high blood pressure is under control without meds any longer. So that's really good. I'm just gonna keep praying and trust that God led me to this decision for all the right reasons. Maybe it was just to learn patience!!! : ) I wish you all the best and truly hope things change for you and all of us really soon. Valerie

We must hang in there! I too am very upset with my progress. I "stalled" after my third week - actually not true. I saw a GAIN of 4.5 pounds from sunday to monday. I freaked out! I could not believe what happened! And this is when all the voices from the board came back to my head - DON'T weigh every day you will drive yourself crazy. Needless to say it has taken me two weeks (tomorrow I will be 5 weeks out) to "lose" those 4.5 lbs, to get back to where I was 3 weeks ago. I cannot tell you how I supposedly gained that weight given that I am having a hard time getting in the minimum amount of food in. I have spoken to my dr.'s office and they confirm I am not eating enough. UGH! Everyone who feels that they are not losing enough - I only have to say that although we feel disappointed, we have to keep it together and respect the fact that we have been had our insides altered for LIFE. This is permanent. To all of us slow losers - keep your chins up! We will get through this knowing that there are many of us out there who are not losing 30 pounds or more in a month. Take care, Selfi

I'm 8 weeks out and I've found that if I eat all my protien and get in all my water (which is difficult), I tend to lose better. On weekends when I don't have the structure of set breaks & lunches, I lose slower because I have a hard time getting in all my protien (60~65 grams). I've done well and carry most of my weight lower around my middle and legs with 55 pounds but get very discouraged when I can't get in all my water and protein. I have measured myself before and at 1 month and 2 months and found I have lost 58.5 inches. A friend of mine that had this surgery a year ago said even when she didn't lose pounds, she lost inches. She also said the body can't absorb more than 20 grams of protein at a sitting so trying higher protein foods if it is over 20 grams really doesn't do us much good. Make sure you are getting everything you need at this point. If not your body will go into starvation mode and the metabolism will slow down. Pat