Is this normal????

I am almost 5 months post-op, I have only lost 67lbs, yes that is a lot, but is it normal to expect to lose more faster than I have? I thought that I would lose 20lbs or more a month. I will lose a few pounds one week and then NOTHING for a few weeks....is this normal or am I worry for no reason? I wanted to be down 100lbs in 5 months, and wanted to have lost all of the weight by 6months, am I crazy or am I being unrealistic? Please someone help me! Don't get me wrong I am thankful for the weightloss and the energy too! T

Tina, I'm not to sure where you started out at, the more weight you have to lose generally it comes off more, but I never lost 20lbs a month. At the most during the first 6 months I was 12-14lbs...Then I seemed to go down by a couple of lbs there after. 100lbs in 5 months, I think could be a bit unrealistic. Having said that, I don't know how much you need to lose. I was 138lbs overweight, and lost that in 15 months. Things will get better, please don't get discouraged, I remember all to well thinking that maybe this surgery wasn't gonna work for me. I was gonna be one of those people that didn't lose alot of weight. Well, I was wrong, so keep the faith, and hang in.. Cathy Martin

Cathy I see your pose frequently. I have surgery scheduled next week and am beginning to have second thoughts. I am 200 pounds over weight and 49 years old. I know I need the surgery but am afraid I will not do well as well as not being normal. Like dumping all the time, can't go out, can't eat anything, won't want to cook for my family, etc. Are you happy? Do you (now at goal) eat a fairly normal diet? Sorry....lots of Q. Anne

You did not ask me but I would like to share my wls journey with you. I started my wls at 59 years old weighing 410 lbs. I was on 5 prescription pills a day. Today I weigh 224 and I am still losing although it is slow at 14 months. I now take -0- prescription drugs. I hope to lose to 195 and finish up the journey with plastic surgery ending up around 160-165 lbs. It is not unrealistic to think you can lose 200 pounds with this surgery. I consider myself a slow loser but I've learned new eating habits due to having to be careful with my food. I voiced the same fears you talked about to my surgeon up front to have him tell me I might never fit the insurance tables for ideal weight but that I'd look and feel better when the journey was over. He was right, if I never lose another pound I feel wonderful. He explained my age, years of yo-yo dieting and being diabetic would probably mean I'd be a slow loser. He was right about my being a slow loser but I've watched my exercise/food plan and I will reach goal somewhere down the road. If you'd like more details of my wls journey click on my name above and read my profile. It gives details at least monthly and sometimes more often. You can do this. Don't get discouraged. Many of us never have any physical problems after surgery. Be careful in selecting your surgeon. Make sure he has done at least 250 of the type surgeries you are going to have done. This is a complicated surgery so get an experienced doctor. Best of luck!

Anne, Let me first start by saying that I have no idea where I would be right now (mentally,physically) if I hadn't had my surgery. It was the absolute best thing that I could do for myself and for my family. Having said that, the first few months are really hard. Depending on how your surgeon does it, I had to have no real food for about 6 weeks. I was in stages from broth, to cream soups, pureed foods, soft foods, ect...Then, when I was able to eat regular food, it wa**** or miss. I didn't have a real problem with dumping right away, it was more of me eating too fast or too much, then It would come up right away and I instantly felt better. Dumping came later, and you really feel like crap for anywhere from 20-60 minutes. I literally need to go lay down on my bed and keep my eyes closed, and then all of a sudden it's over, and it's like nothing happend. What do I eat? Well, to be perfectly honest, it's more like what don't I eat! I eat pretty much everything that I did before. Some foods that I used to love, I seem to have lost a taste for, like white rice, but that's a good thing! I drink coffee, tea, diet coke. I eat everything that I make for my family, pasta fills me up fast, so I tend to eat more of the sauce. I can honestly tell you that now, after 2+ years, I have yet to feel real hunger, the problem you and I and most everyone else has is head hunger. I freely admit that I am addicted to food. I struggle with this everyday, some days I win and some I lose. It didn't really start to become a problem with me until after the first year, so if you too have a food addiction I plead with you to take care of it before it rears it's ugly head again. I wish I knew why I continue to give it such power over my life, but every day I wake up hopeful that I will conquer it. I'm sure that this is much to long, and if you want to email me, I would be more than happy to give you my #, so we could talk. You problably won't be up to attending on the 30th, or would you? One more thing, you asked me if I was happy. Typing here with tears in my eyes, I can say with absolute certainty that I am truly happy. Having this surgery was the best thing that I have ever done, and when I look at my pre op pics, I don't even rememeber who that was anymore.I have faith that I will conquer my food addiction, and then I hope to not be in such fear from gaining weight. I just came back from baseball practice with my kids and we were running, and I actually out ran them! Take Care, Cathy

QUIT WORRRYING ABOUT THE LOSE REMEBER THAT YOU COULDVE LOST 67 LBS BEFORE SURGERY SOME PEOPLE LOSE QUICKER THAN OTHERS SOME LOSE SLOWER. I LOST ALMOST 60 LBS BEFORE O LEFT THE HOSPITAL THAT WAS IN 28 DAYS SO HANG IN THERE AND DONT WORRY IT WILL COME OFF. LET THE TOOL WORK

Hey! Don't be discouraged. Need to look at your total weight loss not just the weight you have lost since surgery! Also, you may be gaining muscle and loosing inches. You can tell by your clothes size. Remember everyone is different. Beginning weight 310lbs; wt day of surgery 276. I have lost a total of 121lbs since I started this journey over a year ago; 34lbs before surgery, 87 lbs since Oct 14 04 day of surgery and I am down to 189lbs. I am really 1 year out since I started this journey. So when you think you have not accomplished your goals, you have accomplished them. Just have to look at it in a different way. You're not unrealistic! Contrats to you; this journey is a hard one and its not easy like most people think. We're proud of what you have achieved and you will start to notice the changes it just takes awhile; others will see it before you do! Hang in there! God Bless you and yours!

I want to THANK ALL of YOU for responding to me. Your words of encourgement are great. I hope all is well with each and everyone of you. If I can help you in any way just let me know, You have helped me. THANK YOU Tina