Question:
how can this be NORMAL?

The past 7 weeks I have gained and lost the same 7#'s... Called my surgeon-she said my total weight loss is right on-line 50-55# since May 8, 2003. I drink right amt. water-get about 60-90 grams protiens daily? How do you KNOW if the Lap-Rny inside is leaking? From all I have read on the WLS pages over the months/and in the archived articles--have not seen anyone else with my situation; and surgeon unconcerned at all...    — barbara L. (posted on August 29, 2003)

August 29, 2003
If you are concerned you have a leak because you gain weight that isn't it. I assume you mean how do you know you have a staple line disruption. This would cause weight gain. Did your doc transect you? Most of them do and there is no staple line disruption if you were. Maybe this hot weather is causing you to have water gain. If you have a LEAK, you will be a very sick gal. You will know something is wrong. Probably a fever, too. Beleive me if your surgeon thought you had a leak, he would be very concerned. This is a very serious thing.
   — Delores S.

August 29, 2003
People will want to help you here, but there's just not enough information in your question (and none in your profile) to do so. How many calories are you eating these days, at 3.5 months out? 60-90 grams of protein translates to 240-360 calories right there, but that's all we know about what you're intaking. We don't know your starting BMI, so we don't know whether you're a so-called "lightweight" or someone with more to lose.<P>And, a "leak" generally refers to a very serious, life-threatening surgical problem, indicating leakage from the pouch into your abdominal cavity. Do you mean, rather, could you have a staple line disruption, meaning an opening between your pouch and your old stomach that allow you to eat a lot more than you expected following surgery? To answer that, again, we need to know how much you can eat -- if it's a whole lot, then maybe you have a SLD, but it's impossible to even speculate without more information.<P>You have lost a great deal -- 50-55 pounds -- in just three and a half months, those frustrating seven weeks notwithstanding. It is entirely possible you are on a garden-variety plateau (albeit extremely frustrating, and a bit lengthy for your stage). It possible you're actually not eating enough, and your body may be in starvation mode. Information as to whether and how you exercise may be helpful, too. If you update with more info, maybe you can get better suggestions as to what to try to break your plateau (if that's what it is) or as to whether there's some other potential problem to explore. Good luck!
   — Suzy C.

August 29, 2003
Were you transected? If so, you probably don't have a leak. It's possible you aren't eating enough calories. My surgeon had me eat at least 1000 a day and I was very inactive - if you exercise, you need more.
   — Patty_Butler

August 29, 2003
do you feel sick? Has your Dr examined you? If you feel good and are taking care of yourself, thia is probably a plateu, a normal occurance, we all get them. Your Dr. says your loss is on target, that is good. I think all Drs. should be talking to patients more about the plateus preop so that everyone understands this is NORMAL to lose at differnt rates, more one week & less the next. I personally only lose 1 week out of the month. It is my normal pattern and so I don't obsess over it. My advice: stick to the program, exercise, and throw the scale in the garbage.
   — **willow**