Honeymoon Phase

I researched the heck out of surgery before hand and found many references to the honeymoon phase lasting 12-18 months.  Just lately I have read (including OH magazine) the phase in rny patients is only 6 months!  What have your experiences been on this subject?   I have lost 124 pounds in 6 months and , of course, I'm thrilled.  I am currently in what I hope is simply a minor stall and not the end of weight loss.  I need your truthful reassurance.  Thank you.

There is a post, 4 or 5 below this one titles "Help" that you may be interested in. In case you can't find it: http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/bmi_over_50/a,messageboard/action,replies/board_id,5489/cat_id,5089/topic_id,3507710/

I think this is malarky, myself.  I continued to lose throughout 18 months, and yes, it does get harder to lose the farther out you are from surgery, but people continue to lose well after their "honeymoon" period.  Kellie is one person I can think of who has done so.  Granted, it takes work, but it's possible.  I think sometimes we get lazy because it's not easy to lose farther out, so we figure it's just not possible at all. I get nervous when I see people focusing on some arbitrary time frame.  It just sets us up for failure if you haven't lost all your weight by six months, or twelve months.  Keep doing what you're supposed to be doing (protein, water, exercise) and your weight will shift.   Not all of us lose down to our "ideal" weight.  I will never weigh 140 lbs.  My personal goal was below 200, but I need to get to 180 to qualify for a paid TT from my HMO.  Even so, I'm doing a heck of a lot better at a little over 200 lbs than I did at 530 lbs. I doubt you are done losing yet. Kix

I will be 6 months out in a few weeks and I sincerely hope my loss isn't over (as I have a lot to go).  I know it won't be over.  A lot of people who are so called "light weights" lose all of their excess weight by 6 months out - so that may be where the 6 month "honeymoon" comes from.  My doc said I can expect to lose at least through month 12, possibly all the way through month 24 due to the effects of surgery, but around month 18 most people are pretty much on their own for weight loss through behavior, food choices, exercise etc.  I agree with Kix, you can successfully lose for as long as you want.  Use this time to learn a new lifestyle that you can continue to follow once the weight loss slows significantly.  Best Wishes, Jenn

I'm the Kellie that Kix referred to and I am still losing 27 months after my surgery.  I lost 10-15 pounds per month for the first 6 months.  Then I lost 6-8 pounds for month for about the next 6 months.  Then I stalled for a couple months around late 2006/early 2007.  I have been tracking my food and my weight daily since about 6 months after my surgery, so when I hit that stall, I reevaluated what I had been eating, made some minor changes, bumped up my exercise, and kept right on losing.  I'm still losing now, but it's super slow - sometimes just a couple pounds per month.  I started at 396, am currently at 188 and want to hit 165-175 before I have plastics.  So I'm within spittin' distance of my goal.   So I say honeymoon, schmoneymoon.  WLS or not, it's all about how many calories you take in and how many calories go out.  You can control the number of calories you take in and, to a certain extent, the number of calories that go out (through exercise and eating in a way that keeps your metabolism stoked - I eat every 1 1/2 to 2 hours throughout the day).   Don't worry about the stall - that's all it is.  Just be patient and this too shall pass!  Good luck on your continuing journey! Kellie

My surgeon told me that 16-18 months is the honeymoon phase. After that you really have to work harder at loosing. Your body starts figuring things out and adjusting to it's new way of life. I think it's true. My weight loss slowed around 16 months and almost has stopped now at 18 months.

Well, I'm here to tell you that I am one of them that completely stopped losing after 12 months.   And haven't lost another pound in 2 years.  I know I don't exercise except in the summer (pool) because my knees are so bad, I was in a wheelchair for 2 years prior to the surgery. But I am glad I at least lost 123 lbs. because I no longer am in a wheelchair,  I can walk some and I no longer have to take insulin.  But I still weigh about 300 lbs. so I don't qualify for knee replacement surgery.  What do you do in my case? Deb in GA

Have you ever tried something like arm bike for exercise?  I know Kix on the board used an arm bike when she couldn't exercise her legs due to medical reasons.  You could also buy some 5 lbs free weights and works your arms.  I'm sorry you stopped losing.  Have you discussed it with your surgeon and nutritionist?  Maybe they'd have some suggestions.  All the best, Jenn

Deb: When I couldn't exercise due to knee issues, I did stationary arm bike every day (I bought a table top model) as well as chair dancing and "sit down and tone up" videos that use hand weights and you exercise quite vigorously while seated.  There's a lady who does a show called, "Sit and Be Fit" that many public television stations carry throughout the USA, you might check your public television channel to see if they carry it.  I've also heard of chair yoga, which are yoga exercises you can do while seated. Do you live anywhere near a warm water therapy pool?  This way, you could exercise year round and they often have classes designed for folks with arthritis or other mobility challenges. I still have bad knees, but they aren't as bad as they used to be.  If you can walk, I'd recommend walking a bit every day and gradually increasing your activity as your knees allow.  Any exercise you can do will help burn calories, which will help promote weight loss.  I don't burn a single calorie if I don't stay active. Kix

As usual, good advice I trust right here on OH.  I did go to the doctor today.  I was initially told they were going to bypass more than the usual 100 cm. because I was over 60 with a 53 BMI.   I had them look on the operative record today and sure enough, 100 cm.  Oh well, I know what to do to lose.  I have lost consistently since my surgery and do not want to do anything to cause myself to gain another ounce for the rest of my days.  I read a book when I was doing research and the writer said if she gained only 2 pounds she immediately did something about it.  I hope to remember that when I get to that point.  In the past, I would somehow just ignore the numbers as they grew and grew.  Thanks to all of you for your replies.