One week out and frustrated, frustrated, frustrated

I am one week and one day post-op and getting frustrated. I lost 12 lbs.in the first 5 days, but nothing since then (in fact, I actually gained a pound one day, but lost it the next). I just want to cry it's upsetting me so badly. Is this normal? I had thought that cutting back from 300 calories (or whatever obnoxious amount of food I was eating) to less than a 1000 calories per day would result in some dramatic weight loss.....

Yes it is normal. You put your body through major surgery and it is just trying to catch up now. The weight will stop dropping again. Samething happened to me and that is when I started exercising, just a little, walking about 1/2 mile and that seemed to help. Just keep use the tool and working the program, the weight will start dropping again. Also, if you are on the scale every day, stop. Only get on that scale once a week and only first thing in the AM after going to the restroom. Julie

Thanks, Julie. I just talked to the dietician and she said it was normal, too, but it just seems ridiculous to me. You hear about people losing 25, 30, 40 lbs in the first month and I feel stuck. My biggest worry about this surgery was not fear of death or major complications, but fear that I would somehow screw up this one last chance. Yes, I am on the scale every day. It's a sickness, I know. The dietician told me to knock it off and only weight once a week if I felt like I absolutely had to.

I glad you talk to the dietician. And we have all had that fear about failing and screwing everything up. When I had surgery I was afraid of the complications and death. I put everything in order, told my parents my wishes and who got what, and I asked my Best Friend to take over my company that I had started less than a year earlier, if something should happen. My greatest fear now is when I am further out, I am almost 14 mths out and still losing, of gaining the weight back. But I have to keep reminding myself that I did this for a permanent change, I replumbed my inside for a healthier life and there is no way, I am going back there. I will tell you I do sometimes miss those 119 lbs I have lost, my company is a pet sitting company, so I walk alot of dogs. I walked a Chesapeake Bay Retreiver a couple of weeks ago that weighs about 120 lbs and he pulled my EVERYWHERE, he even had me running. I told him that if he wanted to go for a run, he should have had him Mom send me a message so I could have worn my running shoes, yes I can run now. Keep up the good work! And remember we are here to help get you through this. Julie

WE ALL THOUGHT WE MIGHT SCREW UP OUR LAST CHANCE SO YOU'RE NOT ALONE, SWEETIE. BUT, YOU WON'T ... YOU'LL BE SO SUCCESSFUL THAT IT WILL PUSH YOU TO SUCCEED AT OTHER THINGS! JUST LOOK AT ALL THE LADIES & GENTS ON THE BOARD & SEE HOW BUSY & FULL THEIR LIVES HAVE BECOME! AS FOR WEIGHING ... THERE ARE 2 ROADS OF THOUGHT ON THIS ... STUDIES PROVE THAT PEOPLE WHO WEIGH DAILY LOSE MORE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF LONGER BECAUSE THEY CATCH THEIR WEIGHT GAINS QUICKER & ATTEND TO THEM FASTER, BUT THERE IS A DOWN SIDE FOR SOME ... IF YOU CANNOT HANDLE THE DAILY WEIGHT FLUCTUATIONS, THEN PICK THE SAME DAY/SAME TIME ONCE A WEEK (never any longer) & THE BEST TIME TO WEIGH IS FIRST THING IN THE MORNING AFTER GOING TO THE BATHROOM (this can make a difference believe it or not). HOWEVER YOU WEIGH, KEEP A JOURNAL, MAYBE PUT A CALENDAR NEAR YOUR SCALES ... OR USE GRAPH PAPER & CHART YOUR WEIGHT LOSS ... OTHERWISE OUR MINDS TEND TO MINIMIZE OUR LOSS & WE DON'T FEEL WE'VE DONE WELL. ALSO, TAKE PICTURES ... YOU WILL HONESTLY FORGET HOW YOU LOOKED WHEN YOU WERE FAT & HOW FAR YOU'VE COME. KEEP COMPARISON PICS ON THE FRIG OR IN YOUR WALLET OR BY YOUR SCALES ... ALWAYS KEEP YOUR FATTEST PIC ... YOU'LL BE SO PROUD AS YOU SEE YOUR CHANGES OCCURING! SO, KNOWING YOURSELF ... PICK EITHER & STICK WITH IT. PERSONALLY, I HAVE TO WEIGH DAILY CUZ I CAN FIND TOO MANY REASONS TO CHEAT IF I DON'T HOLD MYSELF ACCOUNTABLE DAILY, BUT THAT'S JUST ME. GOD BLESS YOU ... DAWN & NICk

This is so normal honey. Don't get upset. Your weight will come off. We all feel like this believe me. It is only a matter of time. Find something to keep you busy and don't weigh all the time(easier said than done, I know) but don't stress out over it. In a few months you will forget about it. LOL Tina Z

OH MY GOSH, MS NICOLE ... 12 #s IN 5 DAYS IS UNBELIEVABLY DRAMATIC! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! BE PROUD OF EVERY POUND, GIRL! YES MA'AM, YOU ARE PERFECTLY "NORMAL"!! HONESTLY, IF YOU LOST & LOST & LOST, YOUR BODY WOULD GO INTO SHOCK. SO, WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT YOU LOSE POUNDS, THEN YOUR BODY TAKES A BREAK & LITERALLY LOSES INCHES & REARRANGES THE FAT - YOU WILL NOTICE YOUR SHAPE CHANGING AS WELL AS YOUR CLOTHES SAGGING. THEN, IT TAKES A LITTLE BREATHER (STALL) & IT GOES RIGHT BACK TO LOSING POUNDS AGAIN ... THE FURTHER OUT YOU GO, THE LESS YOU LOSE EACH CYCLE & THE LONGER THE CYCLES ARE. YOU HELP YOURSELF ALONG BY KEEPING YOUR FLUIDS & PROTEIN AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE ... & BY EXERCISING REASONABLY ... YOUR WORST ENEMIES ARE SUGARS & WHITE CARBS - THEY WILL SLOW YOUR WEIGHT LOSS & CAN ACTUALLY STOP YOUR WEIGHT LOSS FURTHER OUT IF YOU EAT TOO MANY. YOU'RE LOOKING FOR NO MORE THAN 5 GRAMS OF SUGAR PER SERVING IN A PRODUCT ... &, PERFECTION IS TO STAY COMPLETELY AWAY FROM WHITE CARBS (RICE, PASTA, POTATOS, BREADS, ETC) BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT, SO KEEP THESE VERY LOW. WHEN YOU EAT SUGAR & WHITE CARBS THAT PRODUCES A CHEMICAL THAT TELLS YOUR BODY TO STORE FAT ... WHEN YOU EAT PROTEIN A CHEMICAL IS PRODUCED THAT TELLS YOUR BODY TO RELEASE CALORIES FOR ENERGY SO YOU LOSE WEIGHT. I JUST READ ANOTHER ARTICLE ON THIS & IT IS AMAZING HOW INTELLIGENT OUR BODIES ARE. PERFECTION IS TO BALANCE YOUR CARBS (IN GREEN & BRIGHTLY-COLORED VEGES) & PROTEINS (+ SUPPLEMENTS) FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH, WHILE EATING ENOUGH PROTEIN TO "FEED" YOUR BODY SO IT ALLOWS YOU TO USE UP THE FAT YOU HAVE ALREADY STORED. AS LONG AS YOU ARE FOLLOWING THE EATING/DRINKING/EXERCISING (at the appropriate time following surgery - only walking for 1ST 6 weeks, then add exercise if your Doctor OKs you) ... AS LONG AS YOU ARE DOING THINGS RIGHT, YOU CAN GAIN UP TO ABOUT 4 #s & NOT WORRY CUZ IT IS FLUIDS & POOP (sorry to be so blunt). THAT'S ALL THAT IT IS ... ANYTHING MORE THAN A 4 # GAIN & YOU REALLY NEED TO EVALUATE WHAT YOU ARE EATING, DRINKING, ETC. I KNOW YOU ARE NO WHERE NEAR THIS POINT, BUT YOU'RE SHOOTING DAILY FOR ... 64 - 100 OUNCES OF FLUIDS ... NO CARBONATION OR SUGAR 75 - 100 GRAMS OF LOW FAT QUALITY PROTEIN SPECIALLY-FORMUTLATED SUPPLEMENTS LIKE OPTISOURCE OR VISTA VITAMINS, B-12 IN INJECTION FORM, LIQUID OR SUBLINGUAL & CALCIUM CITRATE (these are an absolute daily MUST ... the more you supplement wisely, the better BECAUSE WE DON'T ABSORB NORMALLY ANY MORE, but be sure you need the supplements by getting regular labs normally about 6 - 12 months apart). GO TO MY PROFILE & REALLY READ IT ... I PUT A LOT OF INFO IN IT THAT MAY HELP YOU ALONG YOUR JOURNEY. ALSO, ASK ANYTHING ... W'ERE ALL HAPPY TO HELP! GOD BLESS YOU ... DAWN & NICK

Hey Nicole, I had to chime in here about Lady D's page and she's right! I practically printed her page and carried it with me like the WLS Bible until I was comfortable making my own decisions ( I bet you didn't know that did ya Lady D?) Of course I listened to the nut and docs but her page was the most inspiring to me. You are doing great and are very "normal".

OH MY GOSH, MS SUNDI ... I'M BLOWN AWAY! NOPE, DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU DID THAT ... WOW, I'M FLOORED ... UMMM, SPEECHLESS & YOU KNOW ME, I CAN USUALLY BABBLE ON FOREVER ... I'M SO TOUCHED. GOOD GRIEF, I'M GONNA BAWL LIKE A BABY ... THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR POST ... I'M SO VERY HAPPY THE INFO IN MY PROFILE HELPED YOU. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ACTUALLY CARRIED IT AROUND WITH YOU ... WOW! I JUST GOTTA PUT YOUR POST ON MY PROFILE! GOD BLESS YOU ... DAWN & NICk PS: I JUST WENT IN & TOLD NICK WHAT YOU SAID & HE HAD THIS GREAT BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE & SAID, "OH, THAT IS GREAT!!!!!" YOU'LL NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH I NEEDED TO HEAR SOMETHING SWEET LIKE YOUR POST TODAY!