Question:
I have been on a terrible plateau and have been very stressed.

I had open rny 7 mos ago and my wt loss is slow. Only 62 lbs. I have tried everything and worked my butt off walking, water aerobics, eating 800 cal and still cannot break this plateau. I have been soooooooo upset and stressed. Tonight a friend told me about the mind/body connection and how stress can affect wt. loss. She said when the body is under stress it cannot do it's best job at wt loss because it is concentrating on "survival" and the stress is a killer. She recommended 5HTP, a natural herb, that is kind of like Prozac in a natural form. Has anyone tried it? Most of us are very very upset and worried when we slow down in wt loss and maybe there is a connection and this is a real reason it happens. Then we stress more, where does it all end? How can I relax about my WLS? Am I trying too hard? I feel like a failure.    — Marilyn C. (posted on July 26, 2001)

July 26, 2001
Hi Marilyn. I just read your profile, and by what I can see you are a slow loser! That's not a bad thing. During your plateaus you are losing inches - even you said that. Just remember to get in enough protein and all your water. Meanwhile, your body is catching up, and if you do this slowly, your skin maybe can keep up and not get too saggy. I am not an expert. I am still pre-op, but from all I have read, we all lose at different rates, and I don't remember a single post that said that they gained, or didn't lose, long term, when they did everything they were supposed to. Remind me of this when I get to your point post-op!!! You and your twin sister are beautiful. God Bless you both. Sheila
   — Sheila B.

July 26, 2001
If you are only at 800 calories a day you need to increase your calorie intake. It sounds like your body has figured out what you're doing and thinks that you're starving it. So it's holding on to everything you're putting in (hence, the plateau). At 7 mos you may want to check with your surgeon, but you should probably be at 1000-1200 calories a day. This will get your body to realize that it's not starving and that it can continue to use the food your eating. Also you don't mention anything about protein. Are you getting a minimum of 60 g/day? If you aren't on the protein bandwagon, try it for about a week and see what it does for you. Good luck! You're not a failure and you know it. Just make it a point to start eating more and getting in your protein today. (Also make sure you are drinking water water water!)
   — Kimberly L.

July 27, 2001
Hey, Marilyn. You know, I had my surgery about the same time as you and when I got stuck or didn't lose as much as I thought I should be losing, I went out and got a protein drink and started drinking them religously for breakfast.It really kicked my weight-loss into high gear. Another thing, that I just thought of is maybe you have an under-active thyroid? I suffer from it and take thyroid medication. Granted, it takes a few months to get it in balance with a daily pill! But if you feel tired all the time or sluggish, it might just be your thyroid!
   — Heidi S.