Question:
I am 18 days post op and have only lost 12 lbs. The scale hasnt
moved since mon. Should I be concerned??Help I am getting discouraged. — SINDI W. (posted on July 4, 2003)
July 4, 2003
This is process can be full of plateaus. The first one usually strikes at
2-3 weeks. If you go to the library and type in the word
"plateau" you will notice the sheer volume of posts from people
at about you time out. I realize that some people zip along and don't hit
a plateau for months but the majority are not like that. I have given up
weighing myself more than every few weeks because I can plateau for weeks
and if I weigh, I get very discouraged. I at almost six months out and
have been on one plateau after the other. In fact, my pattern is to stay
at one week for 3-4 weeks at a time then suddenly drop 5-10 pounds. It's
too early to say what your individual pattern is but as a group 3 weeks is
the magic number for plateau number 1. Hang in there!
— susanje
July 4, 2003
You can't just judge loss by the scale. You could be retaining water or
anything. Are you getting enough protein? enough water? Relax. After all we
didnt get heavy in a day.It is not coming off.
— snicklefritz
July 4, 2003
Don't feel bad. I am 15 days out and have only lost 10 pounds. I do not
have a scale at home because I know if I weigh myself everyday I will be
totally discouraged. I go back to the doctor's on July 30, so hopefully
by then I will have lost some more weight. Hang in there!
— Gwen F.
July 4, 2003
I am 17 days post op and have lost about 18 pounds. I feel discouraged
sometimes too because everyone else seems to lose so much faster than me. I
have to keep reminding myself that this isn't a race. I will get where I
need to be in time. For now, my focus is on getting the protein in, water,
and now..exercise! Hopefully this will speed me up a little bit.
— A M.
July 4, 2003
Folks, Try and remember that this isn't a magic fix and in a couple of
weeks you will be thin. It ain't that way. 12 lbs in 18 days is GREAT!!
Have you ever had a diet work that fast?! You cannot fail at this in 18
days.You will hit a plateau here shortly, if not already. It is completely
normal!! It is just your body catching up with all that is going on. Give
this a chance to really get started working before you worry about failing.
Your gonna be fine and will do GREAT!!! Open RNY 11-11-02 Down 150lbs
— dkinson
July 4, 2003
You will be ok! I "only" lost 16 lbs in my first 2 weeks and
then nothing for 2 weeks. I was devastated. I did not know that this
could happen. Not only does it happen it is NORMAL!
Now here I am 5 months post-op (tomorrow) and down 64 lbs! Is that slow??
To some people yes but to me it is the best thing I have done! My Doctor
thinks I am doing great, so that is what I go by!!!
Also get rid of the scale (if you can), I too am a scale addict I weigh
every time I pass the dang thing, so either come to terms with it (like I
have) or get rid of it!!!
Hang in there you will be fine, just wait until you gain 3 lbs eating like
a mouse, I almost fainted!! But that is another story.......Oh but it does
come off!!!!
— Haziefrog
July 4, 2003
Donny I couldn't have said it better. I don't understand when people panic
at only days, weeks or early out from surgery. You should sit back and
watch what YOUR body does. It's really amazing! 12 pounds in 18 days is
almost a pound a day. I'm sure you've never lost that before and you still
have at least a year ahead of you to lose. Relax and enjoy your journey.
— ZZ S.
July 4, 2003
Sindi,
STAY OFF THE SCALES - they are your enemy. If you are following your
doctor's aftercare plan, you will lose weight. My surgeon has his patients
promise NOT TO WEIGH except in his office when they come for check-ups. A
lot have trouble following that and end up being depressed or fretting
about the number. I did follow his advice and at 12 days, I had lost 30
pounds (a lot of fluid retention) and when I went back at 10 weeks, I was
amazed to find that I had lost 66 pounds. So, my advice is to throw out
the scales. You will notice in your clothes that you are losing.
— Patty_Butler
July 4, 2003
Patty is absolutely right. When I was discharged following my surgery
almost 9 months ago, my surgeon advised me not to get a scale. He told me
you either get paranoid or cocky, and either way you start doing things you
shouldn't be doing. If you're doing well, in your estimation, you tend to
start getting lax in your eating habits. If you're not losing as quickly as
you think you should be, you also start doing things you shouldn't. My
advice is to simply follow the directions that your surgeon gave you upon
discharge from the hospital. I get weighed only when I go for my checkups
and monthly at the gym where I started going. I follow my doctor's
instructions to the letter and so far, am down almost 120 pounds in 9
months. Only 20-30 more to go!!! If you do what you're supposed to do, the
surgery will do what it's supposed to do. Don't get obsessed with the
scale!
— Carolyn M.
July 4, 2003
Sindy,
I have to agree with the others that say STAY OFF THE SCALE. This early on
in the process, it's not about the weight. It's about getting through the
tough part of your surgery. I too was obsessed with the weight loss at
first, and would get frustrated when I wasn't losing as much as "I
thought" I should have been. People on this site told me to stay off
the scales. You have enough to think and worry about at this point than to
focus on your weight. Focus on getting better, healing and facing a whole
new life!!! TRUST ME. I'm now 3-months post-op. I've went from 248 lbs
to 195 lbs and from a (very tight)size 22 to a 16. (I can fit in 14's if
they have elastic waste) I'm thrilled. You'll be just fine. It's not a
race. :)
— Kim L.
July 5, 2003
Yup STAY OFF THE SCALE! Your buring fat I promise but your body is holding
onto the fluid....for 6 weeks your not going to show THAT much progress
until the woosh fairy comes! SO....if you really want to know if your on
track...go to the pharamacy (walmart carries these too) look in the
Diabetic stuff and get some Keto-stix. You can't burn fat without burning
ketones and vice versa, if the stick turns pink your loosing weight!
Really helps later on if you tend to plateau too!
Diana
— Diana W.
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