Plateau So Soon?

I finally went back to work this past Monday after the RNY and a second surgery on my leg(unrelated).  I guess because I was on a much more structured routine, I was able to finally get all my water, protein, and vitamins in for the entire week.  But, my weight stayed the same all week, and then today, I gained a pound.  Has anyone else gone through this so soon (I'm 2 1/2 months out)?  It really scares me because in the back of my mind I keep thinking why should this work when so many things have failed before.  I mean I know it's working...I've lost 52 pounds, my sleep apnea is gone, my joints don't ache, I don't get as winded from walking as I used to...but, there is still that voice in the back of my head that says this is going to fail too.  Is this normal?  And on top of it all I'm constipated from the iron  which isn't helping any, and I've got the never ending period!  How long did it take before your body got used to the iron?  And how long before your period straightened itself out?  I know it's from the hormones, but I was one of the lucky(?) ones whose period never went away, but came faithfully every month.  So now, instead of just getting it back, it won't go away!  It's like having your mother-in-law coming for a visit and saying she's moving in...UGH!!  Well thanks for listening.

Sandi 52 pounds you are a rock star! Honey please just focus on what is important and that is you, the weight loss is going to come and hit like a ton of bricks and you will love it.  We all hit the bump in the road, it will pass I promise.  No more sleep apnea and the joints don't hurt, well in my book you have done tons!  Constipation is a ***** there is no other word for it, try Miralax it is now over the counter and I could not live with out it!  Baby you have come so far, there is only one way to go from here and that is UP!    Yeah my "mother-in-law" was here last week and I am still paying for it emotionally.  I will be 37 next month and only hope for a hot flash.  Sandi soon I will have to call you a skinny *****!  So baby get happy, I am thinking about you and rooting you on!  YOU GO GIRL!

Hugs Kristen

 

Thanks Kristen.  The miralax did the trick.

Sandi, Wow 52 pounds is amazing girl! You go girl!! Now let me tell you something having a period from hell and constipation will cause you to gain a pound or two.  No need to worry sweetie. Keep doing what you are doing.  You can use what Kristen told you to get.  I use benfiber and I take 3 a day and it helps me greatly.   Now since you are early out from having the RNY I suggest you buy the powder instead of the caplets.  You are not failing girl you just take care and work on drinking lots of water to help with the constipation and to flush the extra fluid that aunt flow brings. Take care girl I am so proud of you!! hugs

Thanks Cira,  Kristen's Miralax did the trick and I am going to take benefiber from now on to hopefully keep this from happening. And Gia is absolutely beautiful!

I am glad that the Miralax worked!  Thank you Gia is beautiful but I am biased. 

Sandi - Please don't despair.  First of all, your body is still recovering and saying WTH????  It's normal to have the fears you're experiencing, because they didn't operate on your head, only your stomach.  52 pounds is amazing, and actually, right about where I was at the same post-op time frame.  As far as the constipation, make sure you're getting in enough water, that is key, but if you remain constipated, call your doctor, because it can be painful and dangerous.  Since you have the never-ending period, please keep taking your iron, you can become anemic very quickly.  I did, and had to have some transfusions and iron infusions.  I don't want to scare you, but my period has never really gotten "straightened out," and I've had to take some extra hormones.  There's a fine line with hormones, too much and you bleed, too little you bleed, so I'd say if it continues like this for a couple more days, call your surgeon AND your gyn.  Fat cells contain estrogen and when you lose quickly, all that estrogen is just dumped into your bloodstream.  It's normal, but it ain't pretty!!!

Please hang in there.  We're all here for you.  But like I said, if any of these conditions worsen, call your doctors asap!!

Hugs,

Tia

Tia, you're right...it ain't pretty.  And of course I have a long lost sexuality returning...and can't do anything with it! HA HA!  I will definitely keep taking the iron, but now that Kristen's post has taken care of the constipation, I'm going to follow Cira's advise and start taking Benefiber.

Hey Sandi! I'm 2 1/2 years post op and have lost over 100 pounds.  I had three MAJOR plateaus for several weeks each.  The first one had me scared that I had somehow "broken" my tool.  I just knew that I was doing something wrong and this too would fail.  It was explained to me that my body needed to readjust how it dealt with itself occasionally, so the weight loss may slow or even stop briefly.  It was okay.  Also, as others have said, the issues with bleeding and constipation from the iron are making it pretty much impossible for you to actually get a true weight reading.  Your scale can't tell the difference between your body and the extra contents of your bowels or water retention.  During the really rough plateaus I just kept doing what I knew was right, eating right, drinking loads and loads of fluid and getting whatever exercise my body could tolerate (which can help move your bowels).  When you really need to focus some attention on your body...look more to areas other than your torso (which is bloated and all just now).  Take a long look at your feet for instance.  I bet they are looking different every day, even with water retention.  Miralax is great stuff.  It re routes water from the body into the intestines.  There is no pain, no bulking in your stomach and it can really help make going easier.  *BIGHUGS*  and Congrats on the 52 pounds!  You are awesome chicky!

OMG, this has happened to me, too -- the period thing, that is.  I never lost my periods, but they weren't real regular.   After my WLS, I had the gyn run hormone tests on me to see if I still needed birth control.  Yup.  Now the darned things are reeeaaallllly regular -- like every 2 weeks.  Have been for 3 months now.  It may be perimenopausal stuff instead, as I am 50, but it sounds like what's happening to you.  I get the bloating, the swelling, the water weight, the constipation, etc., too.  Pat (Schweitzer's CNP) thinks I need to see about hormones, but I know they won't give them to me because of breast cancer in my family (mother and grandmother).