2.5 weeks post-op NOT losing

I'm concerned- my surgery was 2.5 weeks ago and I'm on soft food, eating chicken breast, yogurt and applesauce, pureed squash, finely chopped eggs.  No cheating and I have only lost 6 lbs since my surgery!  I do have protein shakes to get in the protein and I'm not hungry, but I am also not losing.  Is it age?  I'm 61.  Everyone says you lose the most in the first month which has me worried.

You say you're not losing but you've lost six pounds.  That is losing.  My surgeon said to expect to lose three to five pounds per week in the beginning so it sounds like you are right on track to me.

Thanks, Kelly.  I read about people who have lost 20 lbs in their first week and I wonder what I'm doing wrong.  Thanks for the encouragement. Dee

Most people don't lose 20 lbs in a week, though.  It sounds like you're doing fine.

Very, very, very few people lose 20 lbs. a week and they are generally the super obese and/or men. That rate of loss would not be healthy or sustainable for the vast majority of people.

Most of us have some weight gain from fluids at the hospital and relative inactivity the first week or two, then start to lose. You're doing fine! However, the next speed bump may come around 3 or 6 weeks with a stall (the Week 3 stall is legendary) and no weight loss for a couple of days to a couple of weeks. It is simply the body readjusting to all the physical changes. Be patient and just stick with your food and exercise program. The process will work and you will lose weight.

If you were to chart a typical weight loss, it would look like stair steps due to the plateaus, not a ski slope. You can read more about stalls in earlier threads on the forum.  Age has little or nothing to do with your progress. I sailed through surgery and recovery at 60 and there are many, many of us who have given ourselves this second chance after 50, 60 and 70.  Best wishes for your journey!

Thanks for the encouraging words, Simon.  My mom is a fit and healthy 91 and when I realized that I couldn't keep up with her walking I knew that I would not make it to her age at all if I didn't do something about the weight.  I couldn't have afforded the surgery before it was covered by my insurance anyway, but, yes, I do feel like it's a new start at 61.

I lost like 12 lbs the 1st week,and then 0 during week 2 and only 1/2 lb during week 3.... then it started to come off. I'd say you're just fine !! Just give it a little time :)

I completely relate to this!  I actually just posted a blog post about how I was frustrated because I've stalled.  I'm almost 6 weeks post op (33 yo and started at 330 lbs) and I had a great first 30 days - 37 lbs.  The last 10 days - 2 lbs.  What my doc explained was that your body will start to lose and then stop to regroup, then restart again.  Everyone posting is exactly right - as long as the weight is continuing to come off everything is ok.  My team's advice was make sure that you are getting the fluids, vitamin supplements and protein in and your body will follow.  My dietician also said one thing to watch during soft foods is carbs because things that can be mushy or soft often have a decent amount of carbs and make sure that I was walking (shoot for up to 30-40 mins a few times a week).

I completely understand your frustration and thanks for posting this!  It's always good to hear that others feel what you do even if the cir****tances are different.  You are definitely not in this alone!

Congrats on your first 2 weeks and I'm sure you will see amazing results in the weeks to come.

Carrie

I had a DS on 11/20/13, so we are close. I learned that at about 3 weeks it is normal to stall. After staying the same weight for 2 weeks, I weighed myself one day and BAM! FIVE pounds down. It has to due with glycogen stores. Glycogen is stored in your muscles for quick energy. For each pound of glycogen, you also store 4 pounds of water to make it accessible to your blood stream. When you're recovering, you can't eat much, so that glycogen and water gets used for energy. After it gets used up, you have to store it up again. While you're storing it up, your body is using fat stores for energy but it is also storing several pounds of glycogen and water. 

I hope this explains and you can see that your body is working as it should. During glycogen and water storage, you are burning fat for energy, so during these times, measurements will show progress better than the scale will. 

good luck!! Keep doing what you're doing! 

I only lost 2 lbs in the first 2 weeks post op.  I am now 5.5 weeks out and have lost 23 more lbs for a total loss of 25 lbs since surgery.  I was freaked at first about only 2 lbs lost at 2 weeks out, but it is coming off just fine.  Everyone's rate of loss different, so hang in there and follow your plan.  Your doing great!!