Any 300+ lbs before WLS?

Hi gang, I'm desperately looking for anyone who started out at 300 or more pounds before surgery for advice and support in dealing with my never-ending stalls. We've heard that those who start out smaller tend to lose slower, and those who are larger tend to lose quicker...but I haven't read many posts from the larger folks. My pre-op weight was 323. I had already lost 30 lbs before surgery. Since 8/17, I'm down 61 pounds but most of that came in my first two months. I'm stalled for nearly a month now. Tried the plateau-busters; increased exercise and water intake...still nothing. So, what is a larger gal to do? I don't want this to be it for me...with a few pounds trickling off here and there. I've had too many complications for this to be IT...help!! Toni

I'm in the same boat! I weighed 315 the morning of surgery. I've lost 47 lbs and am beginning to get depressed. I only lost 7 lbs the entire month of November and that was early in the month. It's beginning to drive me crazy! I'm trying to increase my protein, exercise and water, as well. Other than that, we have to stay positive and focused. The weight will come off!!! Michele T

Hi Toni, I started out at 326 abd lost 22 before surgery on 8/24/05 and have lost 52 since surgery and it has been steady for the most part but slow. I have had several stalls for a couple of weeks at a time but I lost inches in those weeks. Be sure you are watching your carb intake, my Dr. allows only 25 a day and watch sodium, some people find soup so soothing and it goes down well and with this time of yr is very apealing but I had to stop soups they cause me to retain water so badly. If you are getting your protein (went off the protein drinks for three weeks for other reasons and this did slow my progress so I am back on these) and drink your water (still a challenge for me) and getting your exercise you should be fine. some people are just slower loosers. Before the surgery I was not a person who ate all the time and ate huge portions and I gave up sugar more than a yr ago and still only lost 22 pounds before surgery. So I think I just loose slow but I feel like it will come even thought progress is slow. 61 pounds for you since surgery is not bad at all. Hang in there it will come! Judye

Hi Toni This the forum for those whose BMI was or is over 50. http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/over_50/. You might find some more help here. ~Rebel Lady~ TOTAL LOSS 85 lbs GONE FOREVER AND 39 1/4 total inches WOO HOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! starting 310 BMI 50 Super Morbid Obesity date of surgery 290 BMI 48.6 Extremely Obese present 225 BMI 36.3 Obese dr. goal 190 my goal 160 ??? BMI 25.8 moderately overweight

I started my 2-week pre-op liquid diet at 317. Morning of surgery I was 299. Yesterday I was 245 at the surgeon's office. He said that my weightloss is probably a little bit ahead of where he would expect it to be. My plateaus came at week 3 post-op. Lasted 2 weeks. Again at week 8. Lasted 2 weeks. I think I might be going into another one. One thing I really need to do for myself is keep looking at OVERALL weightloss, not just what I do in a one-week period. When else in my life have I lost so much in under 4 months??? NEVER! I think you're doing just fine. Everyone I talk to at my support groups and at the dr's office say your body just needs time to adjust. While it's frustrating, I'm beginning to see a pattern and know they must be right. Hang in there. It's going to come off!

Hi Toni, I was 291 when I started this process & 284 on the morning of surgery. I too, have hit stalls. I lose for a week or 2 & then stall. My most recent one was I had only lost 2 lbs from the 27th of Oct - Nov 16. VERY FRUSTRATING. Then from Nov 16 - Nov 26 I lost 11 lbs. It was great. I've been holding steady since then. I think our bodies have to play catch up. Make sure you measure because on the weeks I don't lose much, I lose inches. I read an article on this site about plateaus and it said that you're truly not plateauing unless you do not lose weight or inches for at least 4 weeks and that during that time of no weight loss, or weight is being redistributed, thus losing inches. Keep your chin up, the weight loss isn't over yet. We're all in this together & know that you're not alone. Tammy 291/284/225/145

Hi. I went into surgery at 337. Lost 34 the first month, 17 the second month and then 14 the third month putting me at 273 on my doctors scale. I have had several stalls that lasted about 2 weeks each. Then when the stall broke, I lost quickly for a week and then slowed down till the next stall started. I do not measure, but can tell that my body is adjusting to changes even when I am not losing numbers on the scale. I am not sure, but I think I may even do better when I eat a little bit more, but I am staying with my low fat, low sugar diet and trying to be careful. I also have found that I do better when I eat more of the "dense" proteins. Dense proteins are those proteins like steak and chicken that seem to fill me up faster and take more to digest. Cheese, yogurt and milk are easier to digest and seem to go through faster. I do find that when I have been in a stall for over a week, that if I kick up my walking, it seems to help break the stall. I exercise 4-5 times a week and when I get discouraged in the stall, I try to exercise every day and also get a little more protein in. I also push to drink more water. I have found that although water is very boring, I lose more when I drink water rather than other allowed drinks!

I was 316 just before surgery (I do not hae to do a pre op diet or anything before hand, other than the night before surgery, so I am sure the weight was the same on day of surgery) AS of today I weigh 230.2 for a loss of 85.8 pounds and I too find there are weeks that I feel I have not lost what I should have lost. I have found though that if I stick to drinking extra water, besides shakes, and doing more exercising that after a week or so I see the scale move more but it is hard to exercise more. I try to exercise 4 x a week @ 45 minutes and so during the non loss times I bump it to an hour and may add another day and try to walk futher in the parking lot at work and when shopping and than the scale seems to move after a week or 2. Sometimes I still feel like it is not that fast but than i think 3.5 mths and 86 LBS that is pretty fast.

Thanks to all for your encouraging posts and advice. I was starting to feel like I was alone, with all the 'lightweight' posts lately. I really do need to let go of the numbers...after all, I DID lose 30 prior to surgery, bringing my weight loss total since my journey into WLS started to 92 pounds. I guess I sometimes get caught up in comparing myself to those around me, which I AM learning is NOT healthy. Like many of you have pointed out...when was the last time we were able to lose so much weight in so little time. Again, my big fear is that the stall will turn into a permanent one...I'm working on letting that go as well! And I'm sure I'm not the only one here who (despite all the compliments I receive) just doesn't see a significant loss. Well, my clothes are ridiculously huge on me, so I guess that answers THAT question. Bear with me, gals...it's a struggle for me...partly due to ongoing complications. Thanks for the support! Toni

Toni, I started at 333 lbs. My first month I lost around 40 lbs. My 2nd month I only lost about 7 lbs. And this last trip was around 20. My doctor told me not to be so hard on myself and that my body was just playing catch up. I usually go about 2 to 3 weeks with only a pound or two then like over night I drop 10. Just remember that it took us a lot longer to put it on. I try to only weigh myself once a week but it is really like every other day. Sometime everyday and I have found that the every day thing really destroys my confidence. I have not tried any plateau busters and I exercise every other day. When I get cravings I eat protein and then if that doesn't help I buy it sugar free and it tastes terrible so my brain say no more of that and my cravings are gone. Hang in there your body and brain will catch up to the new year and you will be jumping for joy. Rocquetta