Question:
Calling all older post op VBGers.. I have hit a platue from H***

I am need of help please. I am 4 months post op and have hit a platue from H***. I have only lost 4 pounds in the last month and 2 inches. I will admit I have been putting away some Christmas cookies. But I have joined a gym and working my butt off and getting my water intake in. Is this common? Will I start to loose again? PLEASE tell me that it is. I have lost 55 pounds so far but if this is it, is sure was not worth the surgery.    — Cathy H. (posted on December 23, 1999)

December 23, 1999
When was the last time you lost 59 lbs in 4 months? You've been losing inches, and that happens occasionally. We all slow down in weight loss but increase reduction in inches from time to time. Sounds like you're doing pretty well to me, except for eating the cookies and such. I am not sure how you can be eating a lot of sugar without getting dumping ... Do what you can to stay away from those things ... you certainly don't want to undo what you've accomplished so far. You cannot blame the surgery for failing if you're not following the procedures & instructions your doctor gave you. You went through a lot of pain and trauma to have the tool of weight loss surgery put in place. It is only a tool, not a magic wand. You must do your part as well, the tool only works if the person using it is using it properly.
   — Sherrie G.

December 23, 1999
Back off the cookies!!!!!!!!!I had VBG 8/1/97, I only weighed twice during the first year but i am sure i hit a plateaus. I lost all my weight the first year I need to loose 40 more pounds. I work out 45min to an hour M-F. You will start loosing again. Concentrate on how good you feel, not how much wt you are loosing this week. Good Luck:)
   — Cindy G.

December 23, 1999
Hey, Cathy. When you were dieting before the WLS, did you ever hit plateaus? Of course you did! You (we) became overweight because our bodies wanted to hold on to every calorie, right? Why should now be any different? I started hitting plateaus almost immediately, at about 3 or 4 weeks post-op from my RNY. After almost 5 months I'm still doing it. Plateaus end. Concentrate on how much better you are feeling, not what the scale says. Merry Christmas! Jaye Carl, open proximal RNY 7-29-99, 84 pounds gone forever! Thanks to God and Dr. Greenbaum, I love you both!
   — Jaye C.

December 24, 1999
How long have you been on this plateau and when did you increase your exercise? The only way to move off and begin losing again is to lower the calorie intake and increase your activity. Everyone hits plateaus... Have faith, this is an amazing tool, but it is not a miracle, you need to work with it in order to be successful. Mary Anne
   — Mary Anne M.

December 24, 1999
Hello if your working out m-f you are not loosing weight beause you are gaining muscle tone and muscle weighs more that fat don't sweat it . It shows that your workouts are working just keep up the good work and BE surprised. but stay away from the scale....
   — BBD

December 25, 1999
Cathy! I am 9 months post op now. I have lost 99 lbs so far. (My goal was 100 by Christmas) Today is Christmas. I have hit several plateaus throughout my weight loss. I was "stuck" at 96 lbs for over 2 months! At this time my "size" continued to drop. I have not exercised at all, for fear of building up muscle, which in turn weighs more. That in itself probably explains MY plateaus, although all of us are different and our weight loss varies from person to person, we all have one goal in mind, and that is to be THIN! This is how my doctor explained it to me: You will slow down in your weight loss at about 6 months post-op. At this time, your body will be reconstructing itself. It will be taking muscles and fat from your back, that are no longer needed to support the weight of that stomach that used to be the size it used to be. You will see a reduction in clothing size even when there is no weight loss to speak of. This was very true for me. At a 96 lb loss, I went from a 16 to a 12/14 with no weight loss at all. I also went from a 35 inch waist in jeans to a 33. Hey, as long as the inches keep coming off, then what I weigh really does not matter as much! Be patient, measure your waist... your upper thighs.... Your hips... You will see! The human body is an amazing thing, and it continually works in a "survival" mode. Your body was very comfortable at the weight it was before surgery. It's going to fight you every step of the way to get back to the "comfort" zone. It will lose. But it will give you one heck of a fight until it does! It did not take you 3 or 4 months to put the weight on, it's going to take a little longer to take it off too. But the good thing about this "diet", is.... it's permanent! Don't give up, this is the best decision you could have made, if you have been dealing with a weight problem for any length of time. Good luck to you, and if you ever need anyone to talk to! E-mail me! Happy Holidays...
   — Lori D.