plateau already!?!

Hi, there. My name is Rebekah. I had a lap RNY on July 27th. For the first week after the surgery I lost 10 pounds...then it stopped dead. It has been a week since the scale has budged. Has this happened to anyone else? I have no idea what I could be doing wrong. I do know that I have been able to handle a lot more fluid than I was originally told (16 oz of water in an hour is no problem for me). I am into stage 2 (pureeing everything) and following the diet to a T. I'm getting between 550 to 700 calories a day, spread over 3 meals plus a protien shake, and am sticking to high protien/low fat/low carb foods. At least I haven't gained anything back, but this is getting very frustrating and depressing. Any comments? Thanks. -Rebekah

Rebekah, everyone loses at a different pace, and if you're doing what you're supposed to you know the weight will come off. I am also on pureed diet - I start incorporating regular foods next week. That's kind of scary to me because I'm not doing so great on pureed!! I'm surprised you can drink 16 oz. in an hour!! My surgeon won't let me drink any more than 4 oz. and even if he did, I don't think I could. I get full so easily. Are you exercising? I have a friend who had WLS a year ago and never exercised. She lost 100 lbs. in a year and stalled. She just started to exercise and lost 3 lbs. her first week!! Maybe it's worth a try! Hugs, Nancy

There really are no words that can make you feel better. It's something that you'll have to accept when you're ready to. Believe me, I know. My first week out, I lost 6lbs. At my first month out, I had lost a grand total of 13lbs, less than half of what my surgeon had expected. Since this past Friday, I have lost 5lbs. There is no rhyme or reason as to why the pounds come off when they do. If you make sure to get your protein first and drink your liquids (and not snack and graze all day long), you'll lose weight. It might not be today, maybe not this month, but eventually. Your body has to adjust...your brain might have figured it out, but your body has a mind of its own.

Pamela, it's funny. I decided to look at the July 2004 message board for this very reason. I too have realized that I am a slow loser. At my two week visit after surgery, I had lost 14 lbs. Not bad right. Well when I went for my one month on August 4, I had only lost 17.8 lbs total for the month. I was fine, until the nutritionist said the doctor generally wants his patients to lose 10% of their initial weight, which would have been 32 lbs. I was fine with my loss because I would not have been able to lose that much in any other diet. I seems as though since August 4, I have only lost 5 more lbs. I definitely understand where you are coming from. I am like you, as long as I am losing, I am fine with my progress, although sometimes it can really bum me out. ~Shelly

At one month post op I have only lost 23 lbs. And I haven't lost a thing in almost 2 weeks. I thought I would have at least 30 - 40 lbs off. At least that is what alot of people told me. But I know everyone is different. I too am beginning to feel like my pouch can hold more. Although, when I try to drink too much water at once it is painful. I really don't think I am getting enough fluid. However, I am craving starches big time and don't know how to deal. I am also on pureed from 07/29/04 - 08/23/04. And I am scared to begin eating soft foods. Afraid I am going to deviate. Any words of wisdom out there?

I am right there with you. I lost 20lbs week one, and nothing since! I use a scale at the gym that is digital, very expensive, very accurate (also measures body fat and sadly I am 48% body fat *EEK*). It even measures in the decimals (as in going from 238lbs to 237.9lbs) and I haven't even gone down one single decimal point. I am at 238 each and every day without a budge. (Well if may have changed and gone back, I haven't checked EVERY day, but probably checking more than is healthy and more than I should) I am walking a minimum of 3 miles per day, eating between 400-600calories, drinking all my water. Having a hard time getting in all the protein but not doing too badly at that. I guess we all just need to realize that our bodies are trying desperatly to hang on to their reserves (our fat) and we have to give our bodies time to decide it is time to start living off those reserves. I mean literally we are starving our bodies and what is going to happen initially? Our bodies are going to inhale and hold onto each calorie we consume, until it isn't enough anymore, then they will dip into our reserves. I guess I theoretically understand all that, but gosh darn it! I'm working hard, just .1 of a pound please oh body of mine !! HAHA Hang in there, never once heard of anyone who didn't lose weight with the surgery, meaning our day is coming Melissa

Hey Rebekah, I'm right there plateauing with you. The scale has not moved in a week and I'm only three weeks out. Hopefully this week it will start moving again! Michelle

Rebekah, I hope you've been measuring yourself and trying on smaller clothes. I had surgery on July 12. I, too, was disappointed by "slow" weight loss. So far, at one month out, I've lost a grand total of 15 lbs. However, I've lost 22 inches and two to three pants sizes, depending on the clothes. I have some pants that are 26's, but most are 24's. I'm now in a solid 20 and I even bought an 18 in a skirt the other day. Just hang in there and try to use a different way to gauge your weightloss. I think the inches are every bit as important as the pounds, and other people are starting to notice the difference in my face. Take care, Stephany

Stephany's got it right...actually inches are MORE important than pounds. It's amazing how many inches we can lose without budging at all on the scale. Everyone is commenting on my weight loss...every time I see someone, they see a new change in me, that I may not neccessarily see myself. I've lost aprox 30+ pounds....(not sure till I see dr on the 23rd..so, give or take)...but it looks like I've lost more...can see it in my face, arms, belly and legs...I love it! I will be picking up a measuring tape, like I've recommended to others...I think it's a better idea to keep a journal of inches lost than to keep one of pounds lost. Linda

Hey Rebekah, I am 3 weeks out and have lost 22 lbs and I even have re gained 3lbs!! My doctor told me to buy my own scale to take into account the differences between scales. But this whole week I have not lost any weight!! He told me to excersize more.