Question:
I can't seem to lose as much weight as everyone else is ? What's up with that?

I am five and 1/2 months postop, and I don't seem to be losing as many pounds as other people on the site. I don't cheat or eat things that I'm not supposed to, if I am guilty of anything it is not getting enough water in. I have only lost 72 pounds and this week I have actually gained weight. I don't understand how this is possible and I am more than a little frustrated. I am starting to feel like I've blown it somehow.    — Debbie R. (posted on November 20, 2001)

November 20, 2001
Dear Debbie: Nothing is wrong with your weight loss! At 5 1/2 mos post op I'd lost 57 pounds. You've got me beat! I am now 15 mos post op and have lost a total of 115 pounds. Don't get frustrated. It's easy for me to say I know, but I remember being in your shoes. It will come off! Much love,
   — Alicia B.

November 20, 2001
Hey there Debbie, Congrats on the tremendous weightloss so far! I have read so many journals, and stories, and profiles, and mostly everyone's losses were either at the very same rate that you're losing or slower! I think you're doing great! Keep it up!
   — Jennifer M.

November 20, 2001
Debbie - I know EXACTLY how you feel, and to be blunt, I get tired of hearing how we have had such great loss and congrats and all that stuff. Not to offend anyone, but I had to quit coming here for awhile because it would depress me so much seeing how much weight people were losing. It also depresses me to no end to go to my support group meetings. Sometimes I go out in the hall when they all start standing up announcing their weight loss because I feel like I'm so much further behind. The thing that gripes me the most is I REALLY WORKED HARD AT IT when some of the people never drink water, never exercise, eat sweets, etc. I just don't get it. I am 5 months postop and I have only lost 68 pounds. I just got through reading the message boards and there are dozens of people posting about 6 weeks out or 3 months out that have lost way more than me...and I don't buy that the bigger you are the more you lose to begin with. I was bigger than a lot of people I know who have had this and they have lost more than me too. Some days I really can't handle it. I sit here and cry about it. Some days to keep my sanity I have to get in the closet and start trying the clothes on. I'm tired of hearing "if the scale isn't moving you are losing inches"....not always true either. Not in my case. I went a whole month before measuring when the scale was not moving and I had barely lost anything in inches either. In fact, at nearly a 70-pound weight loss and starting in a 26/28, I am still basically in a 22. Sometimes it's best to stay away from this board and reading about everyone else because it only makes you compare yourself even more. This past week (Wednesday night) I ate a piece of roast and it got stuck. I did the usual waiting for it to pass or throwing it up, which I did. It stayed stuck until Saturday. I was sicker than a dog. I couldn't keep anything down, food or liquid. I tried my surgeon's office and after telling them I hadn't eaten for more than 2 days and had tried the meat tenderizer, they said "drink Coke". I tried and I only threw up more. I called back the next day and they said I needed to get scoped. Ya, it's just that easy to call up a GI doc and say "I need scoped today". I ended up in an ER on Friday where I was never seen (waited more than 4 hours in the waiting room and others had been there going on 7). The GI doc's office told me he was at the hospital and to go there through the ER. I got tired of waiting and went home. Saturday I couldn't get out of bed. I was so dehydrated and I had a terrible headache. At 4:45 p.m. I got up to take Advil...as soon as I drank the water, I dry heaved and threw up. I went to another ER and was seen there. It was quite an ordeal. I never did get scoped, but they gave me an injection of Glucagon which apparently relaxed my lower esophageal muscles to let it pass. I have been fine ever since. I lost 7 pounds in 3-1/2 days and lo and behold 6 of the damn things came back on in the last 2 days!! I am a little upset with my surgeon's office though. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you there are those of us out here who feel the same way. All I can tell you is to hang in there. It get so damn frustrating and depressing sometimes. This WLS can sure play some mind games with you and you have to stay on top of it. E-mail me if you want to talk.
   — Tracy B.

November 20, 2001
well i can relate to what the last poster is talking about i myself am a slow loser..starting at 337 and so far a little over 3 months out lost 45 pds...i thought at my weight i would be one of the fast loser dropping it really quick but im not...yes it can be depressing sometimes when you come to the message boards and see some who've had surgery the same day or months after you've had yours and have lost way more than you ...you start to think what am i doing wrong? whats wrong with my body that im not losing fast enough? you get envious you get angry then you get depressed i went through all of that until one day i told myself that damn it you didn't go through all this just to knock yourself and compare yourself to others..yes its hard not to do that when you come here...thats why i don't come everyday but for me i keep a positive thought everyday keep my protein and water up work out daily and focus on everything that im doing right...because when i got to 337 i sure didn't care about what i was doing then to get to that weight....the key is FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE ....if seeing all the glowing weight losses upsets you don't come to the site for a few days...focus on something else till you can get in the mindset to not compare yourself....i hope this helps.......
   — DEIRDRE D.

November 20, 2001
Hi Debbie Reynolds (love that name!) - I am also a slow loser - however, I knew that going in, so while it's a little upsetting sometimes to hear some of these incredible weight loss "feats" - I just remind myself it's x number of pounds lost that ain't never coming back! And, both my surgeon and my nutritionis (not the one at the surgeon's office) tell me I'm doing great. I'd like to offer you a few tips I've learned from my nutritionist even prior to the surgery. (It's a long story, but he was the only one after a diet years ago that destroyed my metabolism completely, was able to help me lose weight. I take what he says completely seriously). Anything with sugar, triggers an insulin response that helps keep fat in your body. Even things that contain artificial sweeteners, while they don't have calories, they trigger the same chemical response. So - my husband (who also had WLS) and I do not eat any fruits, diet sodas, use anything to sweeten any beverage or the jello. We don't eat carrots or beets. Try sticking totally to proteins with very little carbs (in the form of vegetables) and avoid anything that's sweetened (naturally or artificially). I can't guarantee that it will make a vast difference, but I do believe it will make some difference. And even a half pound a week is an additional 26 pounds at the end of the year. Good luck. Please try to focus on the positive - you're really doing a great job. It took many years to gain the weight you started with - give yourself a little extra time to get it off. Happy Thanksgiving - Nancy
   — Nancy Z.

November 21, 2001
I am only 13 days post-op so it is hard for me to tell you what to do. I know from people in my support group that the most important thing is drinking the water. I have to drink 60 oz. of water a day. I try to drink between meals. This way, I know I have to finish one bottle before I can eat lunch or dinner or go to sleep. This way I know I am getting the water. I have lost 23 pounds as of today.
   — Dianne K.