Need Advice (and Encouragement)

Hello Everyone,

I am in need of some advice. My vsg surgery was on 6/17/19. During my pre-op liquids I lost 17 lbs in two weeks. Yet since the surgery I have only lost 7 lbs. I don't understand how I've only lost 7 lbs in two weeks. I've been tracking my calories and have been way below 800. My surgeon says I'm on track and my weight loss will be a little off for 6 weeks while I'm healing. But this still feels like a failure. Did anyone have a similar experience? When did you notice a great weight drop? Am I overreacting?

Thanks!

First, you were pumped full of fluids during surgery - it takes a few days to lose that. I've heard of people gaining up to 10 lbs from all the fluids.

secondly, you may be heading into the three week stall. Do a search on that - you'll find hundreds of postings on it - it happens to almost everyone.

thirdly, rate of weight loss is a very individual thing depending on so many factors - age, gender, starting weight, metabolic rate, whether or not you lost a lot of weight pre-surgery (meaning the "water weight" that people frequently lose after starting diets is long gone if you lost a lot of weight pre-surgery). I was a slow loser from day 1, and I ended up losing all of my excess weight. Your commitment to your program will be a MUCH bigger factor in your eventual success than your rate of weight loss will

Thank you for all the great information. I think I'm scared this won't work for me. Probably leftover thinking from the hundreds of other fitness attempts that didn't work. I really need to rewire that negative thinking into something positive.

Yes, you are overracting.

7lb in two weeks is wonderful! After the liquid diet and the first week or two post-op, you will usually lose one or two pounds per week, slow and steady all the way to goal. Surgery is not magic, it still takes time to lose the weight; I think most people take between nine months to a year until they reach their final goal weight.

I thought the same thing when I went through it recently. While the numbers on the scale didn't move my waist was shrinking. My clothes are looser. And the scale is moving once again. As long as you're following your doctor's instructions you should be successful.

Just do what your program tells you to do and I am willing to bet you will be successful. Also I lost 15lbs in my first 2 weeks. Then a combined 7lbs for weeks 3 and 4. I weigh once a week, same time same way. So you are on track with me...Not sure If i should have done better but I felt like i did pretty amazing.

I only lost 3.8 my first week (plus the 10 I was up from surgery from air/fluids).

Between my pre-op and now 2 1/2 weeks since surgery, I?m down 26.5lbs.

I have to trust the process and know that I?m not eating enough to gain weight or not lose more.

(I?m still so swollen and sore from my incisions so I haven?t started exercising yet...I sssume I?ll lose a little faster once I get out walking. I?m still on my pain meds once a day. )

And I always try to remember, even if I ?only? lost a pound a week, that?s still 52 pounds a year and I never could do that on my own.

edit to add: my surgery was the day after yours so we are pretty much on the same track :)

You are doing well, like the others have stated the water they pump into us from surgery takes awhile to flush out. I lost 14 lbs on the 2 week liquid diet and the first month after surgery I lost another 14 lbs. You are not a failure, hang in there. Good luck to you.