STUCK... HELP!!!

Hello All,
   My name is Tracey and I am post-op... Starting weight of 260 lbs ( Lap- RNY Aug. 25, 08)... So I am only 7 months 1 week out (down 80 to 83 lbs) and am already having issues with my weight loss...
   I will start off by telling you guys that I am an Army Wife and my husband whom is my biggest supporter and best friend (married for 19 years) deployed in Dec 08 (2nd Deployment)... That is where my problems really started... I was doing really good although I noticed I am a slow loser... I hit many plateaus/stalls but have always come out of them (eventually)... But since my DH's deployment I have had a constant plateau/stall...
   I went to my 3 month check up with my DR. in Nov. before my DH left and weighed in at 206 lbs... (Husband deployed) and went back for my 6 month check up in Feb. and weighed in losing  only 19 lbs (putting me at 187 lbs) in 3 months (are you kidding me)... My Dr. said I was were I should be, and NOT to worry... My blood work came back great... But I was concerned about why I hadn't lost but 19 lbs in 3 months... My DR asked me if I was getting in all my vits and water and I told him I was slacking on both... I have since gotten on track with my vits but I still struggle with my water every day...
   Here I am 1 1/2 months later and fluctuating between 180 lbs and 177 lbs... I got up yesterday and weighed in at 177 lbs and then this morning I weighed in at 179 lbs (this has been my problem for the last month and a half)... I'm getting so frustrated and feel like my honeymoon stage is over and I will be here forever... My 1st goal is to get down 100 lbs putting me at 160 lbs but I really want to try and get down to 135 lbs... But I cant even seem to get down to my 1st goal... I have recently gotten a treadmill and the Wii system with the Wii fit and my fitness coach games and have been trying to do those everyday... I have been working both of these things for the last 3 weeks in hopes that the scale would start moving once again and to my avail NOTHING... I'm still fluctuating between those 3 stubborn lbs...
   So my question is what else can I do... I feel I am doing everything right and still stuck... I'm getting in all my proteins, vits, and working on water with about 45 to 50 oz a day, and of course exercise...
   Also... I have started to get this really sharp pain in my left side... sometimes it stays for a while and other times its a quick jolt of pain and then gone and then again I will get the jolt of pain in my left side and it will travel through the front side of my stomach... It seems to be getting worse as the days go by... What can this be?
   I feel like such a failure... I joined this group knowing that you guys will have allot of info and support for me... Which is what I love about OH... But Ive been reading posts by other members and I am feeling even worse due to the fact that people in here are 05'-06' post-ops and here I am only 7 1/2 months out and already having to ask for help...
   But anyway thank you all for any help you can offer...

Tracey
Army Wife

Hi,

Huuuuuugzzzzzzz!!!!!! Ya know, you should take a "mental health" vacation lol.  Take a week or so and do things you enjoy, not foods AAACK!  Get out some, walk, bowl, whatever interests you.  Some times we get what I call inward-eyeball-itis and get so focused on the issues, we forget there is a great world out there.  I know you miss your hubby and I totally am there for you.  Regrouping and refocusing is like a total reset of our mental health and sometimes we need to do that.  Massages, meditation, prayer, whatever fits you, helps reset our goals and rest our minds.  You are doing great, just take a break from it all and get your mind cleared.  You may see something you haven't seen before and take a new path towards your goal. 

Army Wife,

You are certainly NOT a failure - neither for asking for help or for anything else - take a look at a before picture or if you saved some before clothes take them out and look at the wonderful progress you've made. I can say that at 7 1/2 months I was using OH for help too - we all need help - whether it's the boards or other support methods. There is nothing wrong with getting help - glad you're here!

I would suggest that you put the scale away for at least 2 weeks - focus on developing your habits - review the basics - (including vitamins and water) - you're in this for the long haul and sometimes focusing on the scale can be so frustrating that we lose sight of where we're going.

Sounds like you might want to check with your surgeon about the pain in your side.

Take care of yourself - focus on your accomplishments and all the good things you do!!

Shelba

Hello,
   I just wanted to give you guys an update... I called my DR. yesterday and he was in surgery for the next 2 days so I decided to go to the ER... At 1st they thought I had a kidney stone but nothing came back in my urine... So they sent me to X-ray and said all they could find was that I needed to (empty out)...  So they gave me some magnesium citrate and told me to drink a 10oz bottle all at once (LOL)... And to fallow it with 8oz of water (again LOL)... And that I should start to empty out in 2-3 hours... And if I didn't feel any better to get an appointment with my DR... So I came home drank it as fast as i could (20 min's LOL)... Drank 8 oz of water (another 20 min's)...Man was I full... But anyway by 3am it had hit me... I am feeling allot better today but I still have some discomfort in my left side... I'm hoping that its just sore from being so full as the nurse put it to me... The attending DR also informed me that because I was so full it would def. hinder my weight loss... So we will see what happens now... Wish me luck to getting back on the losing side of this lol... Thank you guys for your uplifting, kind words... I love OH... You guys are great....

Tracey
Army Wife