Question:
Slow weight loss
I'am 3 months post op. I had a short limb RNY and I have only lost 40 lbs. I think this is very slow and that surgery may not be working for me. Is this a normal thing? Or is it possible that I might already need a revision? My surgeon told me that the weight loss was perfect,he said that I really didn't want to lose more than 15lbs a month. But it just seems like the weight will never come off. Could that fact that I'm probably not eating enough have something to do with it? Anyone with any ideas please let me know. Thank you very much for all the support. — Regina1129 (posted on December 2, 2001)
December 2, 2001
Just think, though your not gaining and your 40 pounds lighter,, that is
great,,,, bet you feel better too huh...
— bikerchic
December 2, 2001
Hi Regina! Just wanted to let you know that I'm right there with you on
the slow weight loss. I'm over 3 months post-op, have lost 50 lbs, and I
have a much higher BMI than you, and a lot more weight to lose. It also
frustrates me to see that other people who've had the surgery after me have
lost weight quicker, but I really have to stay positive. The weight is
still coming off, and I'm doing everything right. I'm exercising 3-5 times
a week, drinking all my water, getting all of my protein and vitamins in,
and still have slow weight loss. I finally came to the conclusion that
this is just how my body is going to lose, and on the positive side, it
looks like my skin is shrinking up nicely along with my weight loss, and I
feel really healthy. I think that some of us are just meant to lose more
slowly than others, and we have to work at not getting frustrated, and keep
on doing what we're doing. Your surgeon is happy with your weight loss,
and that's great! I just keep telling myself that the weight will come off
as long as I follow the three main rules: water, protein and exercise.
Just keep pushing those, and hang in there! One thing I did notice about
myself is that I think that I'm getting too much fat in (I don't dump on
fat) so I've gone back to choosing really lean meats for my protein, like
lean roast beef, baked chicken, and turkey. No real advice, just wanted to
let you know that I know how frustrating it is, there are a lot of us in
the same boat!
— blank first name B.
December 2, 2001
I am 2 months post op and have lost 30 lbs by the dr's scales, I know I
have lost 34 because when they weighed me prior to my surgery the nurse
wrote down 264.7 and the scales actually said 267.4. So that makes me feel
a little better. I am like you though, I was hoping that more weight would
come off and quicker, I am not a big water drinker and I sometimes dont get
quite enough in on protein. But I feel that I am losing inches. I dont'
have food getting stuck like it used to and this bothers me, for I am
afraid that something is wrong. Maybe I am just paranoid, but I want to
lose as much as possilbe.
— TONYA B.
December 2, 2001
I am just a pre op so I don't speak thru experience BUT I have read a lot
of posts about plateaus and slow weightloss. You hinted that you may not be
eating enough. When you first have surgery, and eat next to nothing, you
lose weight quickly. THEN, your body thinks it is starving, so it tends to
hold on to what it has. Most, not all, plateaus and slow weightloss can be
jump started if you increase your protein and water intake. That way the
body is tricked into thinking it is being fed again and will start letting
go of the excess weight/fat. That COULD BE what your body is doing. OR,
maybe you are losing inches in between the pounds. Inches don't show up on
the scale. 40 pounds is still a good weightloss. I didn't look at your
profile but those with lower BMI's tend to lose slower than ones with
higher BMI's. Good Luck to you!
— Kim B.
December 2, 2001
I think we also need to keep things in perspective. When was the last time
you lost 40 lbs in 3 months and kept it off? I'm still preoop but i can
tell you I have never lost 40lbs and not seen it and its friends return!!!
— Dawn Y.
December 2, 2001
Hi Regina.... nice name.. we share the same name.. I just go by Gina...
As far as your question, seems to me that your weight loss is right on
target.. I had lost about 60 pounds at 4 months post op and had to undergo
a revision due to a complete staple line disruption..... I am almost a year
post op and am now down 150 pounds.. Be patient, the weight will come off..
Just make sure that you are getting enough protein and enough water daily..
you need if you are proximal or short limbed, at least 60 gm protein
supplemented daily along with whatever food you are eating and at least 64
oz water.. Also try to get in some exercise daily.. this is really tough
for some of us due to the type medical problems we had prior to our weight
loss surgery..
Another thing you can do is take your measurements once monthly.. if the
scales .. and only weigh in once monthly.. dont move.. you should still see
inches dropping..
Best of luck to you.
— Gina Landers
December 2, 2001
I will be 11 mos. post-op RNY proximal on Dec. 8 -- I have lost
95.2 lbs. and I KNOW mine is slow, but as long as I continue
to lose I'm happy. I was shocked though. On Nov. 8 I weighed
myself and then I went on a 3 week trip to Europe and walked
a gazillion miles...more than I have ever walked in my whole
life. I just got back home last night and weighed and it was
EXACTLY the same as before I left. Good thing is I did not
gain -- of course, I did not eat anything I wasn't suppoed
to; I did, however, eat lots of cheese because there wasn't much
else I could eat...and pizza (1 slice). I probably didn't get
enough protein in. I jokinly told myself, "there, goes to show
ya that exercising does not help weight loss!" I did drink
lots of water though. Do not be discouraged, sometimes I do
go for weeks on end not losing anything, then all of a sudden
I'll lose 4 lbs and I'm happy again.
— Betty Todd
December 2, 2001
You really should keeo a food diary for a week or two writing down every
single thing you eat. Then take the diary and see your nutronist. They will
be able to let you know exactly how you are doing. You might for eample
bedrinking a LOT of orange juice which can stall the loss. Or perhapsyou
need to eat more. Let the professionals help you. Thats what they are for.
— bob-haller
December 2, 2001
You didn't say how much you need to lose but , 15 lbs a month is 180lbs in
a year. 10 a month is 120 a year. I lost 145 lbs in my first year , and I
thought I was a slow loser, that was all I needed to lose. I found most of
my obese friends as well as myself were not patient with ourselves. We
liked that imediate gratification no doubt that was part of why I over ate.
Be patient! you are doing very well. And besides you don't need to worry
that you will gain that weight back. It's gone FOREVER!!
— Rose A.
December 2, 2001
I agree with Bob. Keeping a food diary can either reassure you that you are
doing all you should, or help you identify what you can change to help
yourself even more. Try the site www.fitday.com. It is a fun, easy, free
site that not only counts your calories, but tells you how much protein,
vitamins and minerals etc. you are consuming. I am a slow loser too
compared to many on this site, but miraculously quick compared to my past
weight loss efforts. Woo hoo!!
— blank first name B.
December 3, 2001
Hi Regina,
Just thought I would offer a little sympathy. I had Open RNY (Very
proximal) on 9/13. I have lost 40 pounds as of this morning. I too am
frustrated at (to my mind)the slow rate. However, I think the rest of the
world looks at my loss as amazingly fast. People keep commenting on how
much better I look. I don't notice the change as much. I haven't been as
good with my H20 as I should, but work on it every day. My surgeon told me
that I should lose about 15 pounds a month, so I am almost on track. I
guess we need to be more patient with ourselves. It took a while to put
all the pounds on, so if it takes a little while for them to come off.....
Hopefully by this summer we will be down to a much more comfortable weight.
Good Luck. I will keep you in my thoughts!
— Debbi C.
December 6, 2001
I, too thought that I was losing too slow. I couldn't eat
much because everything made me naseous or tasted like hell. Even
the Doctor said I was behind most of his other patients.
I hated the protein mixes. A friend told me about a way to
get the protein in. I bought Pro Complex (vanilla) powder
at GNC (General Nutrition Center). You can probably get it
on the web if you don't have a GNC in your area. I mix it
with non fat milk, 1 envelope of Swiss Miss diet cocoa mix,
and 1 large tablespoon of Hersey's cocoa (in the dark brown
tin), the kind you bake with. Blend or shake and you will
feel like you have a wonderful chocolate shake. I love it.
I couldn't tolerate it no matter what I did with it before
I discovered the Swiss Miss and Hersey's. I couldn't eat
enough to keep my system burning the calories and I was at
a standstill for several weeks. Once I started drinking a
shake each day the weight started to come off and continues
to. One thing to remember is that it will come off. There
are many differences in all of us. Those who weighed more
than I did before surgery lost more at the beginning than
I did. I am now 3 1/2 months out and have lost 64 lbs. I am
really pleased. The protein shake made the difference for
me and it has 52 grams of protein. So, even if I don't get
enough food in, but drink the shake each day I continue to
lose. Please don't beat up on yourself, 40 lbs is a lot.
Like so many others have said, 40 lbs in three months times
4, will be 120 lbs in a year. That would be amazing. Consider
the protein shake though, it was the one thing that got
me going and the weight started to come off. Even if you
don't eat much, the protein in the shake will burn the
weight off.
— LINDA B.
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