17 days Post Op and is this normal

I am 17 days Post Op and doing really well. I am already on soft foods and eating well. I am not exactly walking miles, but working alot in the yard with planting and such. Not over doing it, but still planting flowers and light raking. As of last Wednesday I had lost 22lbs. As of today I have lost 22lbs. I am so afraid that when I see my Dr tomorrow he is going to be upset that I haven't lost anything this week. I know 22lbs is a huge loss, but I am worried that I haven't lost anything this week. My husband says I am doing good and it is just my body readjusting to eating food and not liquids all the time. This makes sense, but still wondering if I am normal?? I am just so afraid that I am going to fail at this also! Any comments would be great! Thanks Brandy

Brandy, I'm guessing it is because you had such an amazing loss last week that your body is adjusting. Just make sure to drink plenty of water and the lbs will come off. Cara W.

Boy, I know how you feel! I lost 20 lbs. at my 1 week checkup (couple of those were pre-surgery I think) but for the past week and a half I've only lost about another 3 lbs!! My 3 week appt. is on Friday and I feel the same way - as if he's going to say "what happened?" Anyway, don't know if this applies to you.... I noticed that it was so hard to get in my 80g protein that I started getting in more protein via drinks, which left me little room to eat. I think eating so very little has put my body in the mode of "starvation" - meaning it is hanging onto every calorie to conserve. (If you don't already know about it, this is a pretty well-documented phenomenon.) I have been making an effort yesterday and today to eat more - even if the servings are tiny - hopefully the act of feeding my body will trigger it to lose some more!!! Up until this week I was still pretty sore so I have not really been exercising yet. Have been mobile and walking around, working, etc but not proper "exercise". Hope to start this week though, and maybe that will help too. Good luck! Marie 295/273/goal 145

Brandy, You are doing great with your weight lose. Remember we didn't get this way overnight and we are going to lose it overnight either (even with having surgery and all). Not to get too personal, but could it be the hormonal time of the month that's holding the weight too. Often women get their periods shortly after surgery. Just something to think about. Diana

Thank you guys for answering. I am going to really push my intake of fluids, because I am lacking there!!! I might be getting in 40 of my 64oz. So I will increase that. I also may be coming up to that womenly time also. Never thought about that. It should be here in less than a week! So maybe all of that is contributing. I do appreciate all your help! Thanks! Brandy

Well Brandy we are in the same boat. I'm now 1 month to the day from surgery and haven't lost a pound in the last 2.5 weeks and in fact have gained a pound. I figure this is pretty soon after surgery to have a plateau, but who am I to know. All I know is that I'm following my Dr.'s orders and eating only 2-3 oz of protein 3 times per day. I saw my Dr. on Monday and he was clearly disappointed with my weight loss (or lack of it) for the past 2 weeks and basically accused me of eating too much. That really hurt because I haven't. There was only 1 day that I had maybe 4 oz at a meal. I do know that I'm not getting in enough fluid and I'm trying my best to do better at it. Hang in there. I figure that it has to come off at some point. The body is probably making adjustments and in a week or so you will find it literally drops off again. I'm hoping so... Keep on keeping on --Pat

Hope this doesn't offend you but I think it is ridiculous for your Dr. to acuse you of eating too much. Even if you were eating 4oz at each meal you would probably only be getting in between 800-1000 calories at most. If you were on Weigh****chers or any other "normal" program you would be eating a lot more than that and still be losing weight. My nutritionist told me that at one month post op I should have between 800-1200 calories a day and that it is normal to plateau early for up to three weeks. My case is a little different because with an infection your body becomes hypermetabolic (holds on to everything). Sometimes we don't lose weight because we aren't getting in enough calories and water definitely helps!

Just as an update, I saw my dr today. I got on the scale and had gained a half of pound. I just started crying. My Dr must of saw me upset because he came straight to my room and started the physical. Once I told him what was wrong he just laughed and told me to stop crying!! He is a straight forward type of guy, which I like! He stated that last time I was in I was probably dehydrated and therfore when I weighed in 7 days ago it was a false weight. That before I was just lacking water, and now that I am eating and drinking well it is an actual loss and not a false weight. He also stated at -22lbs I am ahead of his schedule for me by 2lbs. He also told my husband to throw out my scale!!! Which my husband did!!! And he wont give it back!! I can get anything out of my husband, but not the damn scale!!! Oh well. Just thought you might like to hear what another Dr had to say! We are all doing very very good!! Even if we don't see it on the scale! Brandy

I am so glad you posted that last message! I am 24 days post-op and have lost 22 pounds. I've only lost 1 pound in the last week though. I had the same fear that I would be fussed at when I weigh next Monday. When I went in for Pre-Op with my surgeon, she said she planned on cancelling my surgery because I had gained ONE pound. And I had been so strict with my diet. I wanted to tell her if I had an easy time losing weight, I wouldn't be there to begin with. I was very discouraged about the lack of weight loss also. But I feel much better now. I know skinny people would think we are nuts for fretting because we've only lost 20+ pounds! There is no way I'm getting rid of my scale!!

Hey guys, just because I didn't have anything else to do, I popped into the Jan 2005 boards to see if any of them were having any problems, and guess what, they are!! Alot of them aren't loosing anything or at the most a few pounds here and there. I am starting to see that it is very very normal to slow down after the first couple of weeks, to give our bodies time to adjust! Thank goodness for these boards!!! Brandy