3 weeks out now, but need advice

Hi, I had the open gastric bypass on April. I, too, am afraid of failing at this. I had a rough beginning (allergic reaction to hospital meds, extreme tiredness, horribly high blood pressure) but am doing much better now. However, I lost 20 pounds in the first 9 days. then 4 more pounds and nothing for the past 12 days. I am eating correctly (still on pureed), doing 3 high-protein snacks daily with cream of wheat/Keto protein oatmeal for breakfast (sometimes an egg), chicken salad or fish for lunch with low-fat cottage cheese or green beans for lunch, and the same for dinner (if chicken for lunch, then fish for dinner, etc). I use Atkin's shakes (8 ounces rather than the 11 ounces in the can) for my protein snacks. I added a wee bit of cheese and egg to the chicken salad for more protein and use very little fat-free miracle whip and a drop of mustard. I cannot tolerate the water right now (doc said that happens and to drink something else) and am drinking Crystal Light tea and orange Sunrise for my liquids. I have begun walking and have a Tony Little Gazelle coming next week (the elliptical trainer version) for exercise. My surgeon says I am doing fantastic as I am religiously on the vitamin/iron, etc regimen and getting around well and over all doing great. I just see so many people losing so much weight and here I am stuck for the past 12 days. Several friends have had this surgery and lost 40 pounds in the first month, one lost 50 and another 37. I guess there are others out there who are having some minor problems as I am. The good news is that my blood pressure came down from the 200s/100s to actually low levels. My blood sugar (I was a brittle insulin-dependent diabetic) has come down to fasting this morning of 103, on only one diabetic pill, which my medical doc said I will be able to discontinue before long. I do have concerns as I read that at around 2-4 weeks you will need to have smaller clothing (so far, I don't) and that you will need to cut the end off the abdominal binder (so far, mine still fits the same and is a real pain, riding up in to the space where someday I may have a waist!!). Anyone with words of wisdom, please let me know, as I had a really bad day yesterday with just moping around over all this, and hope that I am not going into a depression about this. Today I am going to try to push and get up and feel better. I can't be moping like that and obscessing over this, but I know how I am and I see it coming. I love reading all the posts in here and everyone, keep up the good work! Smiles, Pamela

24 pounds in 3 weeks--that is great! I think we all get so focused on the scale that it becomes an obsession and we gauge everything by it. I think you just need to change your focus to how well you're feeling, eating the right things and being active. The weight loss will come. Of course, that's easy for me to say because I'm only 1 week post-op. But I have really determined that I'm not going to be jumping on the scale frequently. I weighed yesterday for my 1 week weight (10 lb loss which I feel good about but if I were to compare myself to you and your 20 lbs. in 9 days I might not feel so good about it) and will be weighed when i see my PCP on Friday. Then I will probably weigh myself at 2 weeks. Then I might wait 2 weeks to weigh again. Because i know those daily fluctuations will drive me crazy. But to get back to you--you are doing really well. Keep up the good work!

Hi Pamela!! You are doing so good with your weight loss and most importantly your health is already changing because of this surgery. I understand when you compare to what others are doing or losing, it is easy to get discouraged.................BUT...........Look at the progress you are making!!!! I am exactly one month post-op today and have hit several stages of not losing for several days. I am not wearing smaller clothes, just wearing the same ones.......only they are a bit baggy on me right now. All of that is ok because I know this is a lifestyle change for me. It took me many years to become the obese person that I am....it will take a little while to become the healthy person I am capable of being. I have also gone thru a slight depression over all of this. The fact is we have had major surgery and with it comes bouts of emotional swings, much like a roller coaster. The good news is we have done something to improve our quality of life and within a short year, we will be able to see a huge difference in our health. I thank God for this tool and I pray to use this tool as it should be used. Give it some time kiddo, all this hard work will pay off!!!! God bless you Dodie Lap RNY 4/05/04 -38.5 lbs

Pam I am so pride of you this is just a little encouraging kiss on the cheek for you! All people are different, you may lose all of a sudden!! Just keep pushing and know that God is carrying you. I can only pray that I do as well as you. CONGRAGULATIONS!!!!! Dreka 1 1/2weeks post op lap (04/23/04)

Pamela, Hang in there, 3 weeks is not enough time to say that you are giong to be a failure. 24 lbs in 3 weeks is awesome. You can't compare yourself to others, because no two situations are the same. I had my surgery on the 30th of april and I hear what you are saying and girl you are quite an encouragement for me. . Keep your chin up and and don't give up. My prayers are with you. God Bless. Shelly Pierce

Hi Pamela, I had my surgery on April 12th. I've really only lost about 25lbs myself. I Had lost 20 before surgery. It's very frustrated and I understand how you feel. My physician advised me to really stick with protein because the carbs are so hard to get rid of and as we are not able to exercise all that much it will slow down the process. I've noticed I have lost more weight since I've been eating chili and chicken salad and staying away from the carbs. Congrats on the weightloss! It's all weight off and probably we might be better off losing it slower. It gives our skin time to catch up.

Pam, You are doing super! Remember, the more someone is overweight the more weight (water/fluid) they will lose in the early days. You are following things picture perfectly...probably better than most of us! Don't be a slave to the scale. Measure yourself and watch the inches go too! Nancy

Hi Pamela - I had surgery on April 12 - and I have only lost about 13-14 lbs plus the 10 lbs of fluids I gained in the hospital. So I envy you the 24. You are doing very well - don't worry. I'm not - when we can really exercise more, it will start really coming off. Your health is improving as is mine. You are going to do fine. I've taken off my binder as it just was getting too uncomfortable. I can't wait to swim and that will help the exercise. Look at the change in your blood pressure and blood sugar - this is working. Do not worry - we are going to do fine. Ruth Debra

Thanks for all the good words! It is hard - I am so impatient (always have been, and failed at so so much in the past). My Tony Little Gazelle elliptical trainer came this week and I have tried it a couple times - going 3 minutes at one time, but it is hard and I can feel it! The doc said I could just begin to try it but not to overdo it. I have no where to swim or to walk, other than the mall and it coincides with my work scheduled (which I returned to at my own pace - I work at home in the mornings); and dragging my 3 year old is a job, too! I have not driven as yet. I just want the weight loss to keep going - I do it all right, too. I have not tried the chili as I am a brittle diabetic and it always upped my sugar levels into the 400 range. I do the chicken salad, however, and shrimp salad and eat lots of fish. The majority of what I eat is protein - I have always been like that since trying Atkin's back in 2002. Everyone keep up the good work. I will continue hoping and trying to get some of the pounds off. I look in the mirror and am disgusted with what I look like, as always, but I am trying. Thanks, Pamela