Question:
I am again bummed, not loosing the weight!!!

It is me again, I had my surgery 3 weeks today - open rny - i am doing EVERYTHING my surgeon has told me to do - I am walking between 1.5 - 2 miles a day. Drinking about 88 oz of liquid a day (12 oz milk, and the rest water with either special k protein powder (30 cal) or crystal lite in it). I am eating my protein ( up near 90 grams a day - is this too much?) I eat my 3 meals, but often don't get my snacks in because it takes me so long to eat my food. My surgeon said I could eat real food - just chew, chew, chew - I was too scared to do that so I use my magic bullet to puree it. I am taking all my vitamins, my calcium citrate, my biotin, my iron and my B vitamins. The first week I lost 12.5 lbs - I was THRILLED - the next week - NOTHING and this week I lost 1 lb - so that puts me at 13.5 lb for three weeks. If I was doing weight watchers, or another program I would be thrilled, but having just had major surgery, and am doing everything my surgeon told me to do, it is really frustrating - I know I need not look at the scale as my only reward - but I read other posts and I don't know if I have heard of someone with this low a weight loss in this time. I know in one of my last posts someone said I was starting as a "light weight" (BMI 40) but this is really bumming me out. Today I am going to decrease my protein to 40-60 grams (talked to my surgeon and he believes this is plenty), try to get my snacks in - but what else can I do? HELP!! Joanna    — machre (posted on January 9, 2008)

January 8, 2008
I do think that the weight loss can be depressing. I had the RYN(laproscopic) 4 wks today, saw the doctor yesterday and have lost 17lbs. The doctor said it was slow because I am not eating enough calories, somewhere between 7-800. I am not exercising as much as you, but probably get in at least a mile a day. I too was afraid to go off liquids and the doctor informed me that my pouch could get spoiled. In other words, get use to the liquids, or close up. Plus people develop a fear and it becomes hard to get them off the liquid protein shakes. It was scary at first, but I started with 0%fat (FAGE) yogart about 3oz, that was ok and then proceeded to other soft foods. She said the key was to introduce one new food at a time to make sure the pouch can tolerate it. As of yesterday, I am off the mushy foods and onto more "real foods", ex.Wendy's Chili, 25gr protein in 12oz, but she warned me chew,chew, and chew somemore. She said the stomach was just a holding pouch. Therefore your mouth and teeth have to do the work of your stomach, since it does not contract anymore. I can also have shrimp,fish,but no chicken. Salads, again chew and any raw vegetables should be cut up the size of the top of a pencil eraser and chew, chew, and chew somemore. I can even have fresh fruit. This felt like such an advance from my liquid, mushy phase. So I share your frustration, and one other thing age plays a factor in metabolism. I am going to start walking 2 miles a day, and if you think about it, if you keep doing what you are doing, you will loose weight and the scale can be discouraging, especially if you are weighing yourself each morning like I do. I try and tell myself, do the behaviors and things will change, and have faith. Each of us are different, but if you put in more calories then you need you gain weight, less calories,you lose weight. I noticed yesterday that I gained 2lbs. I think it is from putting too much salt in my vegetables and not drinking enough water(crystal light). I am salt sensitive, but LOVE salt on my food. Now that was real discouraging to say the least. So as Dr. Phil would say, I talk to myself and realize that I am doing the right thing and I have to have faith. I am not going to fail, I have a tool, I'm not cheating, and just need to keep doing the behavior and the scales will change. Good luck, hope this was useful, I feel your pain, but don't get discouraged. We have gone through too much to let our emotions get in the way of the enormous COURAGE it took to have this surgery. Try and get on some real "mushy" food and when you do, have someone with you, it helps when trying to overcome the fear. If you like yogart, try 2 or 3oz of plain yogart first. Good luck hope this helps with your question.
   — faunemarie

January 8, 2008
WAIT. You're losing right on track. My surgeon looks for around 12 pounds a month. That's right. There are lots of people who lose 10 pounds a week, but that's not me, either. I will be 9 weeks post op tomorrow and have lost a total of 29.5 pounds as of today. That's ahead of track for me, as far as my surgeon is concerned. I know it's hard. But be patient. It's marathon, not a sprint. You're doing great!
   — Shirley D.

January 8, 2008
Joanna...alot could have to do with the fact that you're not as heavy as others are that have this surgery. So the weight comes off a bit different...and a bit slower perhaps. I know that at first, I lost rather slow, then it picked up speed, and now it's slowed again. I started with a bmi of over 50. So be patient my dear....it will come. I am amazed though at how well others are able to eat at this stage. I'm still on semi-soft or very well chewed foods. Cannot do bread, struggle with salads still, and definitely can't do any tougher meats. I can do chicken or turkey if it's very well cooked and super moist. I feel like the bites I take are miniscule but it saves me from feeling like something is stuck and from throwing it up. Everyone is different, so I guess just keep up the good work, keep conversing with your surgeon and your nutritionists, and you'll see the results in no time! Best wishes and lotsa hugs! Cheryl
   — Cheryl K.

January 8, 2008
Joanna - the main thing to remember is EVERYONE LOSES DIFFERENTLY. They have those silly charts and graphs showing the AVERAGE people as mass lose - you are not the mass of the people - you are you and you are different from anyone else. Having said that - I came from the hosptial heavier than when I went in. It took about 2.5 weeks after I came home from the hospital to start actually lose. I have several friends in support group that have the same issues as you and or have had. I would suggest only weighing yourself once a week. I would suggest you keep a journal of your food/fluid/exercise over the next week or two - then take to your NUT. You might be getting too few calories and all of the working out you are doing (in the beginning when you are not getting much nutrirtion) might be working against you. I wasn't released to work out (except for walking) for almost 3 months. You have to remember you had MAJOR surgery so don't push it - give yourself time to heal. I wasn't able to life, pull, push, etc (laundry or house cleaning) for 3 weeks post op. I didn't start really working out until I was almost 3 months out (then I went crazy). I wish you all of the luck in the world.
   — jammerz

January 9, 2008
Dont worry your not doing anything wrong I had rny 10/31/07 and as of 1/8/08 Ive lost 32 pounds so see im a slow loser to but the doc told me now that he cleared me to exercise I will start to see more weight loss and getting in all protien is very helpful, but I went 2 weeks and lost nothing, dont worry it will start to come off I noticed that I have lost lots of inches and clothes size went down 3 sizes and I was a weight watcher dieter for the last 8 yrs and never have I lost this amount in 9 weeks so Im pleased.
   — tinluv27

January 9, 2008
Joanna, the goal is to lose 10% -20% of your excess body weight the first month. You are doing that! That is why people with a higher BMI lose more pounds. Even though they seem to be losing "faster", they too are losing % of body weight. If you look at it like that instead of how many pounds you are losing, you will still reach your goal weight at the same time a larger person does...same rate but less pounds. Make sense?? :) God bless..
   — Lisa S.

January 9, 2008
Your body is just reacting to you cutting down what it is use to and it thinks you are starving it. After another week it will pick up some, but you have a low BMI compaired to the other out there that are having large losses. Your percentage to your wqeight is what counts. Just keep up doing what you are doing and get enought protein as it will insure you loose fat not musele.
   — William (Bill) wmil

January 9, 2008
Joanna, I read the other responses to your post, and I think they're dead on. I am 3 1/2 weeks post op, 5'6" and had a starting weight of 254, so I am considered a "lightweight" also. So far, I have only lost about 18lbs. I have not lost anything in the past week and a-half. So you are not the only one. My clothes are fitting looser, and I think I have read other posts that state we drop, the body adjusts, then we drop some more, etc. My Dr recommends getting 60-80 grams of protein, and if you are able to do this, I would encourage you to keep it up. The way it was explained to me is that the protein helps keep your hair from falling out, helps your body heal, and keeps you losing fat instead of muscle that will burn itself off if you DON'T get enough protein. Try getting more protein from your soft foods instead of powders/shakes (FF cottage cheese, FF ricotta, yougurt, FF milk, etc). That way you'll balance your protein and calories. Good Luck, and remeber, you're NOT alone.... you're doing great :) Kat
   — KatFord

January 9, 2008

   — rina_mo

January 10, 2008
I'm not a doctor, but it sounds to me like you may be eating way too much. I cant even fathom as to how you can intake that much. I am four weeks out (yesterday) of LAP RNY and I dont even half of what you describe and couldnt if I tried...it is also not recommened by my doc. I have lost about 45 lbs.
   — [Deactivated Member]

January 10, 2008
Hi Joanna, I had open RNY on 12/18/07 So it's been just over 3 weeks for me too. I started with a BMI of 64 and still I have only lost 18lbs. in the past 3 weeks. I am still on a liquid diet per my surgeons instructions. I too lost 14lbs. the first week, then it took 2 weeks to lose 4lbs.! For 10 days the scale didn't move at all! That was very discouraging! I had lost 45lbs. prior to surgery "on my own". I called the nutritionist at my surgeons office to share my concern at such a slow weight loss (with a high BMI) She stated that my body is still in recovery and when it drops alot of weight one week it often takes time for your body to "catch up" before you start to lose more. It is helpful to know that I am not alone in feeling frustrated at such a slow loss this early on. We'll just stay the course and get there eventually! Blessings, Terri
   — tstewks

Click Here to Return