Question:
I am 12 days post-op and already discouraged!
I lost about 18 lbs. the first week, but since then I have not lost any more weight. I know I should not weigh everyday...I cannot help it. I am exercising (walking) and drinking my water. I do not eat very much....still on full liquids. One thing that really concerns me is that I NEVER have to go to the bathroom! This is not normal for me at all. I have only been "to the bathroom" two times in the past week. I feel like what little I am eating (if you can call soup eating) is just sticking to me and nothing is being digested or going through me. Why is this happening to me? It seems like my clothes are getting a lot looser, but the scale is not moving and I don't go the the bathroom. Please help! — ShannonTxgirl (posted on February 26, 2002)
February 25, 2002
Shannon, "DON'T GET DISCOURAGED!!!!!! You are doing great. I did a
similar thing with my surgery, but I have found that since my surgery 5
months ago, my weight loss comes in stages. I only lost 34 lbs the first 2
1/2 mos. and was soooo discouraged, but then the next 6 weeks I lost 34
more! Don't worry, as long as the scales are going down,
don't worry!!!! Also if you are exercising you are building muscle, and
muscle as my son the fitness expert tells me, weighs more than fat! It
sounds like you are doing great. If I can help, please e-mail me at:
[email protected]/ I wish you the best/ Patti Meadows
— peppermintp
February 25, 2002
Hang in there! You're still in the very early stages of recovering from a
major surgery. Keep up the good work and one day soon you'll step on the
scale to find a wonderful surprise of several pounds being gone. As for the
infrequent visits to the restroom, it is most likely because you are still
on liquids. There just isn't anything there to "move". If you
feel like you are constipated give your doctor a call and ask about a
laxitive. My surgeon had me lay in a supply of both laxatives and diahrea
medications before recovery as it is quite common to experience either.
— Bobbie B.
February 25, 2002
Take a deep breath and relax! You are going through a very common early
"plateau." I went through it, too. Lots of us did. Your body just
needs a couple of weeks to catch up to itself. You said yourself that your
clothes are getting looser. Keep your measurements in addition to weighing.
You may find that you are losing inches but not weight at this time. Keep
eating (even if it's just liquids), keep drinking water, and keep walking.
You are doing the right things and the weight WILL come off! I went through
the same thing: 20 lbs in the first 3 weeks then NOTHING for 3 weeks. It
doesn't help that postop depression tends to hit now, too. Keep at it. It
happened to me, too, and I am now at goal! :)
— ctyst
February 25, 2002
BTW, on the bathroom thing, I only went like every 4-5 days. My surgeon
asked if I was uncomfortable. I said no. He said don't worry about it. I
still only go every couple days.
— ctyst
February 26, 2002
Yes, immediately post-op, you only have a BM every 3-4 days or so.
Interestingly, when you finally have one, you lose a few pounds. Your body
is probably in "hibernation" right now, trying to conserve all
the energy it can and trying to hold on tight to the fat. Don't worry ...
things will improve in a few weeks. Your body is just in its "freak
out" stage right now.
— Terissa R.
February 26, 2002
Shannon, Relax! your only 12 days out. Your not going to know how your body
loses until you give it a few months. You WILL lose weight. Some people
lose it evenly and some lose an awesome 18 pounds in 12 days...like you. I
lost 23 my first month. You need to keep track of your monthly results.(not
saying you can't weigh daily) You will find that it all evens out at the
month. If your clothes are getting lose, you are losing inches. If your not
putting it out, then your not putting enough in. It's the bodies sign. So
if your talking about water, beef up your water to double what your taking
now. If your not having a bm, it's because your not eating enough...which
is the plan and why we lose weight. I didn't go either and it's just normal
for some not to. I had a chart that I recorded my monthly weight and it
became a pattern and was predictable what I was going to weigh the next
month. Print your message and keep it and you will find that you will
continue to lose and look back on that to reassure yourself every time you
think your not. Good Luck!
— ZZ S.
February 26, 2002
You sound like you started w/ a pretty low bmi (just enough to qualify for
surgery). That's where I was when I started. I lost, what I thought was,
pretty quickly, about the same as you, maybe less. You're not going to
lose 100 lbs in 2 or 3 months. I'm 6.5 months out and have lost almost 70
lbs. My doctor said if I was having problems w/ my BM's I should take some
milk of magnesia to get things going, but only if it had been a while and
it was bothering me. Things will move, and you'll lose, slowly but surely.
Hang in there and try not to think about it too much (easy for me to say,
right?!) Best of luck to you!
— [Anonymous]
February 26, 2002
Please don't be discouraged. the same thing happened to me right after
surgery. and it seemed like it took forever to get the weight off. it has
been a year and a half and I am still ten pounds from my goal of 180. i
should mention i am tall 5' 11" as for the BM's that is normal so
don't worry and try to enjoy all the little victories!
— Kristine R.
February 26, 2002
I am new post-op also, and I lost 13 pounds the first two weeks. I am also
on a plateau now! I think the other posters are right. Our bodies will
let go of some more weight when they're ready! Just wanted you to know
you're not alone!
— Kathy J.
February 26, 2002
Hi Shannon, don't get discouraged, 18 lbs in one week is GREAT!!! Also,
your body is going through some major shock and adjustment. You will lose
the weight. And yes you are correct, you shouldn't weigh everyday, our
bodies go through fluctuations all the time with just the liquids we carry,
and time of day that you weigh. And as other posters have said, you can
lose a lot of inches, and not have a number loss on the scale. Everybody
says that fat weighs more then muscle, which is not true. A ton of gold
and a ton of feathers weigh the same, they just look different as with fat
and muscle. Your clothes are fitting different and looser because your
losing FAT, that's what you want!! Eventually the scale will catch up with
the fat loss in inches. Don't be so hard on yourself, you've just gone
through major surgery.. The surgery does work.. You will be fine. :)
— Carey N.
February 26, 2002
shannon- give it a chance. when was the last time you lost 18lbs in one
month, let along a month and a half? once u are thru this initial post op
period, you will become more active and have a reduced appetite and
capacity to consume.
I am a TERRIBLE loser. Lost 12 lbs the first two weeks. have lost 60lbs
at six months. And it took me two months to lose the last ten. I started
at 40.1 bmi. as of today, it is 31. Below 34 takes you out of the morbid
obesity range. I know it seems frustrating because we have all been up and
down weight wise, so many times. Because of the yo-yo effect, we have
damaged our metabolism.. It, too, will recover well, but it takes time. i
hope this helps.
— michelle R.
February 26, 2002
First of all, I agree with Ronni. Take your scale and wrap it up in a box
or something and stash it away somewhere. I'm four months post-op and you
know how many times I've been on a scale since my surgery? Four times.
Each time was such a treat because I didn't obsess over every little
plateau that comes and goes. Think of the long-range goal.....and DON'T
COMPARE! 12 weeks is just the beginning a long, long journey ahead. I was
discouraged too at that point. So much to focus on. You don't need to be
worrying about weighing yourself constantly and getting bummed out. Just
keep doing what you know to do and the results WILL follow. You're just
getting started. Have fun.
— blank first name B.
February 26, 2002
Hi... I lost 17 pounds in my first 10 days, and didn't lose anything for
the next ten. I lost a total of 21 pounds in month one, most of it coming
of the first week. But, it has started dropping again. I also don't weigh
myself a lot, I don't own my own scale for the obsession reason. I haven't
weighed in almost 2 weeks, I can't wait to see my doc on Friday to see my
progress. I can feel it in my clothes, and to me, that is the most
important part!! :) Remember all the trauma your poor body has just been
through- you need to let it have a little time to adjust. The pounds will
start melting away soon, don't worry!
— Angela B.
October 18, 2002
Hi! I know your frustration. I lost 30 pounds at my 3 week checkup and
have not lost ONE pound more in the last 2 weeks. I will be 5 weeks posop
Monday 10-21-02. I will see my doctor on the 24th and he seemed concerned.
I also have been very constipated and he told me to drink MOM. I hope
things get better for you. Take care.
— Christy G.
December 31, 2003
Hi. I'm going through the same thing. I had my surgery on 12/5/03 and lost
nearly 30lbs during the first two weeks. I am going on week five and have
lost nothing since. My surgeon says I'm eating fine and am exercising. My
bathroom is usually every other day, but if I go three, I have to take MOM.
I don't like it, but the discomfort I like less. Everyone says to be
patient, but, boy is that hard. But if you're clothes feel looser, then the
fat is being replaced by muscle. They each weight the same pound for pound,
but muscle takes up less space. Keep up the good work and you'll be fine.
— oktoberlady
December 31, 2003
Real plateaus are when you don't loose any weight or inches for like a
month, your body is just re-adjusting!
And yes most people loose several pounds within the fist few weeks, then
not quite as much after that. Some of that weight in the beginning is water
for alot of people too.
I am sure you are doing great, give it time!
— Saxbyd
March 9, 2004
Hi, Iknow what you're going through. I feel myweight loss is very slow.
I'm 4 weeks post-op and only down 23.5 pounds. Here is what I figure. I
had one day that I ate a little bit of food that wasn't on the list I got.
Because I've had no problems with swallowing,vomiting,or diarrhea, I wanted
to try something on my birthday. I had a 1/2 cup of custard-style yogurt
for breakfast. Drank water all day. Propel fitness water tastes really
good. For dinner I had meatless lasagna with lots of cheese. I lost 3
pounds over night. I weigh myself everyday. So I think that once we're
past puree,our bodies will get a grip and realize that we're not starving
and drop weight. Hang in there. Email me anytime.
— lacey34
March 9, 2004
Shannon, if you aren't going to the bathroom, you are going to be in pain
when you do go! Even with the liquid stage, you should have a BM. I didn't
know that and was HORRIBLY, PAINFULLY constipated because there is no fiber
in the food you consume as an early post-op. My doctor said take Milk of
Magnesia about every two to three days..........I didn't........boy was I
sorry about that! Please don't get discouraged so early on. You will be
successful! We all lose differently, our bodies are shaped differently,
and we simply cannot compare ourselves to others and we definitely do not
need to obsess over the scale. I lost very little in the early days by the
scale but when my daughter gave me a goodbye hug about seven days post-op,
she said she could tell I already felt smaller. The scale still didn't
move for another week but when it did, it has been as steady as can be.
Follow your doctor's guidelines, get in a lot of protein, a lot of water,
and as much exercise as you can do and you will be AMAZED at how quickly
you will lose once your body finds its "losing style." Did you
take your measurements before surgery? If your clothes are feeling looser,
you KNOW you're succeeding, regardless of what is happening with the scale.
Have someone hide the dang thing until you're a few months out if it's
causing you such distress. Best wishes to you and I hope you can
relax.........this is really a fantastic, fun journey!
— SCbabe B.
March 9, 2004
Hey guys, this question was posted a while back. This lady has done great
and according to her profile is actually a size 8 now.
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This is a good example to not get so discouraged with slower weight loss in
the beginning. It's not a race and eventually, if we follow the rules and
re-learn how to eat properly, we will get to where we want to be.
— Ali M
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