Question:
Shouldn't I be losing more???

OK, Gang, I'm starting to get a little worried. I am 2 weeks & one day post-op (Open RNY) & the scale hasn't moved in 4 days!! I just advanced to the pureed diet, however I'm not that hungry & usually just make sure I get in my protein (ISO Pure Zero Sugar, Zero Carbs) in Skim Milk, Water & sometimes a couple other things that are allowed throughout the day. I also started walking on my treadmill. Shouldn't I be losing???? I lost about 15 lbs. on the clear liquids right off the bat, but now I'm stuck! I figured that this would be the time that I would lose the most. What do I do? Please Help!    — jarrett318 (posted on March 19, 2003)

March 19, 2003
It is VERY common to have a plateau at 2-6 weeks out. Your body has been through a big shock and is adjusting to that change. Just keep doing the things you need to be doing and the weight will start coming off again. Also, DON'T weigh yourself more than once a week. Getting on the scale every day just leads to frustration. Even people who are not overweight will fluctuate 5 pounds or so depending on what they've eaten, if they're pre-menstrual (for women), if they've had a very salty meal and are drinking more, etc. Relax. What's happening for you is normal.
   — garw

March 19, 2003
Congratulations - you've hit your first plateau! You may think it's impossible to hit a plateau so early out, but it's very common at this time post-op. You'll notice that even though you may not be losing pounds, I can almost guarantee you that you're losing inches. Plus, it's funny but you won't see any loss for a few weeks, then one day you'll get on the scale and you'll be 10lbs lighter! Try not to weigh yourself every day (or compare yourself to others who has WLS - everyone is different!) Just try to weigh yourself every few weeks - then you won't be driving yourself nuts! Also, that time of the month carries water retention - so, don't weigh yourself then!
   — jengrz

March 19, 2003
GET OFF the scale...step away from the scale...LOL ;-) My position on this is that you will do just as well if you would just weight every two weeks. Which is often enough to see progress but not so often you don't drive yourself nuts trying to adjust day to day to things you can't control. If you follow your program, you will end up OK. You don't need the scale to tell you that. Measure at the same time and use those two tool to show you the differrences. Also as to not losing right now, your body is just trying to figure out what the heck you are doing to it! It will figure out no more chips and sodas are coming and whoosh! the weight will peel off, don't worry about it. And finally, the oldie but goodie that you've heard pre-op but you won't follow post op. Don't COMPARE yourself to others weight loss. You are a wonderful, unique creature and your body will lose at the rate it wants to. Do the best you can, go to bed every night and wake up each morning knowing you've tried to follow your program as close as possible and don't beat yourself up if you didn't, just do better tomorrow. Go put that scale in the closet and mark the day on the calender on when to pull it out and use it and then put it back in the closet right after that.
   — Susan F.

March 20, 2003
Mary, I had lap RNY on 3-7-03 so we're at just about the same point. I feel like my body is still adjusting to and healing from this surgery. While I had the surgery to be more healthy by loosing the escess weight at this point I'm mostly concerned with building myself back up and recovering from surgery and following my surgeon's orders. I had my drain pulled one week ago and I'm sure my body is still absorbing the excess fluid that was being drained by the JP. Your body is still compensating for the trauma of surgery and the eating changes. Are you walking? Building muscle? It weighs more than fat. Just remember there are more important things at this point than watching the scale go down. Best of luck to you.
   — Debi B.