Afraid of the scale

I am the opposite of those who have to be told to toss the scale; I am afraid to go on it. I am 4 weeks out today and have only been on the scale once, when I was 6 days out and that was because the doctor made me - lol. After failing at RNY in 2002 and VSG last year (even though Dr. G said he didn't expect me to lose any weight ???) I don't want to know if I am not doing well. Last year my eating and exercise was awesome until the scale stopped moving (for 3 months) and I gave up and possibly sabotaged myself. This is my last chance now that I finally have the DS, I don't want to do that again.

I think that my clothes are now huge on me (I always wore baggy anyway) but I have this wierd dysmorphia where I think of myself as thinner than I am. I do plan on weighing on the 24th as that's the one month mark. Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else? How do you cope? I know I need to weigh to see if the scale is at least movinng in the right direction...

You set an appointment with the scale, just as you would with the doctor. Write it down and keep a record. Make it regular, once a month, every other month, whatever. And then don't worry about it.

You can know you're moving in the right direction by the fact that your clothes are getting too big. Your indicator doesn't have to be the scale.

Hey Jennifer,
I can't tell you how to deal with this but I just thought I would share with you that from my experience, most of us have some kind of mind game issue with the scale hon.
Some can;t stay off the scale, some are reluctant and a lucky few seem to just get on once in a blue moon.
I think the key here is not how often you weigh in but working on not letting an abitrary number on the darned thing ruin your day.
You WILL lose the weight with your DS but it WON"T be on your timescale and schedule....it kinds does its own thing.
So do what you know you have to in terms of low carb, high protein (Low carb may be especially importanat as you a revision and may lose more slowly) and the weight WILL come off sweetie...have a little Ds faith in yourself and your surgery!!

In terms of the dysmorphia, I still think I am much bigger than I am, even after 3 yrs I don;t think my head has really caught up with my body. When you go shopping take someone with you who can be honest but not brutal or who has any jealousy issues about your loss as this can just cause more conflict. I know that I am a size 4-6 but that just looks so small on the rack. My best friend at home in the Uk is probably one to 2 sizes larger then me but I always feel she is smaller I guess because I was a size 22 for so many years) so when we go clothes shopping it kind of puts it in perspective for me. 

Hugs, you'll get there sweetie, be kind to yourself,
Yorkie xx

I have a TERRIBLE relationship with the scale.  My parents used the scale as a horrible form of emotional abuse with me for years, and I am terrified of it.   Hell, I have a doctor appointment on Friday, and I'm already anxious about getting on the scale there, and I weigh 122-127 pounds, depending on the time of the month.   

When I had my DS, I weighed once a month.   I still weigh that, if at all.    I go by how my clothes fit.    When you're a size 2-4, a few pounds makes a big difference and I can tell, so I monitor my eating that way.   Your DS is working, and as long as you're getting in your protein, fluids and not going way easy on the carbs, it's going to continue to work.   Relax - I know how you feel.

((((Hugs)))) I know how it feels to not be confident about this working after having had a failed surgery!  I don't take anything for granted.
I am one of the 'weigh every day' type of people. I really don't give it a lot of thought though..just part of my morning routine.  Every once in awhile I still have a new low and tell my husband 'I'm the lightest you've ever known me!' and he does his traditional fists in the air and says 'Woooohooooo!'. But most days I fluctuate anywhere within a 10 pound range. On the low days I sincerely say 'Thank-you DS'.  On the high days I have a moment of disappointment but I really don't stress about it, it doesn't ruin my day or anything although I may be a bit more mindful of carbs that day.
Keep doing the right things and do what is comfortable for you when it comes to the scale. Your clothes are certainly an indication that all is going well!   :-)

I'm the same way. I don't even own a scale. My husband has been pushing me to buy one so I can "see what he sees." I also don't see myself as big as I am. Never understood that. I've been weighed once which was at the ER, so I know I am down in weight, but I don't feel it. It's really weird.

I also plan for the 24th at the one month mark and probably once a month after that. Guess I'll have to suck it up and buy a scale.

Thanks everyone, I had hoped that my plan for monthly weigh-in was not too off track. I figure that I should be down each month so I won't have to face a gain whereas if I weighed daily I would have so many ups and downs and that would really affect my ability to continue to do well. The 24th is quickly approaching.... : )

 
If you do find that once per month is freaking you out, you can always go every other month, or quarterly, six weeks, whatever.  

You'll find that indicators like clothing size changes and how you FEEL matter much more than what the scale says.  Also, you may gain weight at different points in the day or the month, or when you start exercising and building a bit of muscle.  Don't let it alarm you at all.

Fear no scale! 

When I was starting out, I couldn't care less about the scale.  I felt like crap.  Once I started getting smaller and feeling better, I was on that thing 3 times a day!  The news wasn't always great, but I kept going back for more.  The last time I dropped a clothing size, I didn't even lose any weight.  Go figure.  The scale is a mystery.

My relationship with the scales was totally transformed.  I used to get depressed when I had to be weighed.  Now, if I'm feeling  a little down, I weigh myself haha!