Soon2BMiniMommy

Time of the month, Sweets....it makes a lot of us put on and hold on to Water weight before our cycles, and during, sometimes, too. I can easily gain 3 lbs the week before, then my body flushes it all the week I have my period. I agree 100% that there is physically no possible way to gain 10 lbs of FAT in one week after this surgery. I am guessing a moody, picky scale, Water weight, and like rootman said, solid waste retention, maybe, too....or all combined!

I'll bet you'll be on here in a week saying that 10 is gone, plus two more!!

See, that's why it's so hard - so many different opinions My doctor said if there is a leak from the surgery, it will most likely happen in the first one to two days (and you'll know!). Then, if you damage your staple line, up to six to eight weeks later (which is why our diet is so strict). I specifically asked him about months down the line (as some have had leaks months later) and he said it's pretty impossible to get a leak after two-three months....those that have are most likely tiny, undetectable leaks the patient had from the beginning but didn't get found till later due to the stomach acid and contents slowly eroding the leak point, and/or build up and abcess down the line.

That was my biggest fear, too....

Thank you guys, so much!

Yep, honey.....SO normal. We all went through that and had to 'mourn' our food and the way we used to eat. Mine hit a lot harder than I thought it would. I was REALLY surprised with how bad it messed with me, actually....thought I was prepared and ready. But, no, took about three months for it to go away, still there a little bit, but not NEAR what it was in the beginning. And it wasn't that strong for three months, it slowly diminishes. It will get better, Sweets, for sure. eh first couple months are pretty rough with all the physical healing we need to do, and also the emotional upheaval and mourning we need to go through! It's quite a life-changer, but you will come out on the other side so happy you did this!

Phewie! I am SO afraid that this horrendous, horrible, never-ending stall is not really over and the scale is just teasing me.....I'm afraid to hope, since I lost so much hope over these last 8 weeks!

On February 4, I hit the 50-lb lost mark, after only 3.5 months out of surgery. I hit 252 from my high of 302. I was so ecstatic, but I wanted to get to 249 so bad....that is SUCH a major mental marker, to be under 250 - the lower half of the 200's and on my way to onederland.

Then, my body betrayed me I was literally STUCK at 252, 253, 252, 251, 252 for EIGHT FLIPPING WEEKS! The worst part was, I wasn't losing inches, either!!! I kept getting on here (but not contributing much, I was pretty down), and everyone's response to everyone else's stall was "but wait, measure yourself, I bet you're losing inches" and most were losing inches, even though the scale wasn't moving. But not my body, no way, no how. It was a nightmare. All the momentum and excitement and hope I had since way before the surgery depleted a little bit more week by week. I kept logically telling myself, 'you know this is temporary, you know this happens, you know you're not done losing weight, you know you will break this.' But no matter what, it still sucked me down into the vortex of self-doubt and blame. I kept telling myself 'you need more Protein, more Water, more exercise, less carbs, stand on your head, try the cabbage Soup diet, try this, don't do that, etc, etc,' back into the world of diet failures and worrying 'am i doing enough? am i eating too much, am I not trying hard enough?'. I kept checking on here and reading about stalls, thought I knew it all, used to tell people to 'relax, you know you'll lose, we all do - stalls don't last forever'. Kept reading about people's three day, four day, one week, two week, and even *gasp* FOUR week stalls. They just made me feel even worse since no seemed to ever hit a EIGHT week stall after THREE months of surgery. Criminey...what the hell was wrong with my body!!?? What have I done to ruin my surgery so soon! Yes, I don't always eat right, and yes, I don't always get my protein or water in, but dang.....EIGHT WEEKS! NO pounds and even more devastating, NO inches, either. All under 1000-1200 calories a day....is it even physically possible??

But fast forward to late last week. The scale went to 250.8. Had been at 250 before, no biggie. Then 250.4, then 250.6, then 250.2, then 251, then 250.0!! Are you kidding me!! Really!! Then 250.0 for THREE MORE DAYS....it hovered there, hovered, taunting me, laughing at me....not even an ounce to help me along....

I had even stopped weighing daily during this stall, only doing so once a week, which hurt even more, cause I was sure after trying with all my might to not weigh for a whole week I would lose....but no, waiting until Monday didn't work, only disappointed me worse.

Then, miraculously, this morning.....got up, went pee, stood on the scale. 249.8. Off the scale, rub eyes, step back on. 249.8. Repeat 8 times. Same reading. Could it be?? Finally? Broke the stall? On my way to onederland? Finally below 250!!

So scared to get excited and hopeful again. What if it's not over?? It did this once before. From 252, I got down to 250.8 once in late February, but then shot up to 253 the very next day....and never saw it again. Till last week.

Now......249.

So scared....but excited, but scared to be excited, too. Wish I could see just a week into the future to know if I really finally broke my stall or not....actually, scratch that....If I have a wish, I want to see a YEAR into the future to see if I ever even get to onederland!!

Sorry for the negative post....those that know me know I'm not usually like this...which is why I've been so absent lately.

Love you all.....and SO glad you are all here, and we are here for each other!! :wub:

Yes, Queen, we are all awaiting some more detail to your cryptic statement! Please enlighten us....

I think we need to separate what people use Protein shakes for. Body builders use them for a specific reason - to GAIN muscle, mainly (among other reasons, but this is the main one). So for them, their optimal Protein intake is around their crazy workouts (all respect intended, they kick a$$). For us, we ingest protein in order to not LOSE muscle and have our bodies break down because protein is so important and it's hard for us to get it all in other ways/foods. For this reason, I think it makes absolute sense to drink a Protein Drink before bed so your body can heal and repair and work on what it needs to since it's sort of deficient during the day.

Eating before bed is horrible if your carb loading, or grazing, or eating fat-laden foods, or using it as a comfort habit (like I used to). Yes, eating a bunch of food and calories right before you go to sleep is bad as your digestion and metabolic system slows WAYYYY down, effectively storing all those calories and food as fat since we're not burning it for energy.

But, a protein drink? All 200 and some calories of it? I think that is perfectly fine and I highly doubt you would lose any less, or even gain, from that. Especially since it IS liquid and the body doesn't need to do a lot to break it down. Your body simply absorbs the protein and then goes from there.

Both my surgeon and my NUT have advised protein at night...not necessarily right before I lay my head down, but an hour or so before...and I've been just fine!!

Forgot to mention...be careful of 'slider' crackers - those with no nutritional value, like saltines, goldfish, oyster crackers. You can eat a lot of those and they are a slider food, which means you can eat more than you think and they're a nutritional wasteland and bad for weight loss (like chips, popcorn, etc). Will drive up your glucose and insulin levels. Make the crackers you do eat 'worth it' if you know what I mean. Read labels for Fiber and Protein, there are so many good choices out there now!

I eat crackers ALL the time! They are great for a meal/bread replacement. I eat a lot of multigrain ones and Triscuits. With hard cheese, spreadable cheese, deli meat, chicken, etc. I can eat about six triscuits with some cheese. Four with meat and cheese. I put veggies on them, olives, cucumbers, pears with cheese. Mini pizzas on triscuits zapped in the microwave for a few. The possibilities are endless. I try to do low carb most of the time, but I think crackers are great, especially the higher fiber ones.

But not at two weeks. Wait a few weeks till you can have solids. You'll be surprised how many (few) will fill you up

I eat crackers ALL the time! They are great for a meal/bread replacement. I eat a lot of multigrain ones and Triscuits. With hard cheese, spreadable cheese, deli meat, chicken, etc. I can eat about six triscuits with some cheese. Four with meat and cheese. I put veggies on them, olives, cucumbers, pears with cheese. Mini pizzas on triscuits zapped in the microwave for a few. The possibilities are endless. I try to do low carb most of the time, but I think crackers are great, especially the higher Fiber ones.

But not at two weeks. Wait a few weeks till you can have solids. You'll be surprised how many (few) will fill you up

Wow, that same here happened here to our Targets! They all remodeled and brought in groceries, and they cut out a BUNCH of other stuff to make room. I can't find anything anymore that they used to have!! They used to have lots of purses, wallets, etc.....most of that is gone.

And the plus sizes.....fuhgeddiboutit.....all GONE! I completely agree with Whoozis above.....ALL of their collection can fit in my trunk!

Very disappointing there lately.

Nope, shouldn't at all. These two Vitamins are often low, and are easy to correct. Just start taking some B complex and D vitamins. There is no reason this should stall your surgery at all. Very common to have low Vitamin levels, especially if you are overweight, like we all are!!

I hope you mean 258? And yes, completely normal! You just had pretty major surgery, and will have a lot of swelling and Fluid retention. Once your body 'feels' better and more stable, it will start to flush out the excess fluid it wants to hold onto for protection.

Give it at least a week.....

I agree with the others, change to 5-6 meals a day. I really, really think 3 smalls meals a day is NOT enough for most of us. We eat so little, we need to eat more often. My advice is to eat to feel satisfied. Don't try to deprive yourself, mentally or physically, and that is what your Dr/NUT's advice is doing. It's making you feel deprived, mentally and physically. Or course, make good choices, whatever that means for you - cheeses, meats, veggies, even fruit, nuts, whatever you can tolerate!

My hunger did not totally go away, either, and it's as much a mental thing with me that I NEED to be able to eat if I want to. It may just be a couple of triscuits and a babybel cheese, but dammit, if I wanna eat, I will. Now, I won't eat TWENTY times a day, and I won't eat chocolate cake and pizza (at least not every time ) but I'll be damned if I will deprive myself on yet ANOTHER diet. I've done that my whole life and that's not why I had this surgery. It's taken me some time to relearn my new body/tummy. Like when I'm really hungry. Some days I am starving, some days not. I just follow my body's natural rhythyms (not my mind's!) and feed it when it wants food. That is very hard to do in the beginning because we feel mentally deprived of food and are somewhat in mourning and really want to eat just because we CAN'T, but that will get better and you will learn your body's way of needing nourishment. I* went through a tough couple of months as my whole being had to shift and learn to live in a different world than what I was used to.

Really, though, eat more than three times a day. It's gotta say something that probably 99% of us here eat more often than that and almost all of our doctor's and NUT's have said the same thing. (disclaimer, you should always follow your surgeon's advice first and foremost, I'm not a doctor!)

Good luck, Sweets... :wub:

Hello, Ken. Many, many of us have wondered why? Can you shed light as to why the emoticons are limited now? Will more be coming later, or is this it??

Thanks for any insight you have on this issue.

Hello,

You should see a total of 21 Emoticons - those are all of the emoticons that we have available at this time.

Thanks,

Ken

I really don't want to scare you, honey, but it will probably slow down. I hit 50 pounds in three months, also, but now have been stalled for six weeks! Now, THIS WILL PROBABLY NOT HAPPEN TO YOU!! I am only saying this because you should be mentally prepared for when it does slow down so you're not overly disappointed and discouraged. I thought I was prepared and I thought if I did hit a stall, no biggie, everyone does and I'll move on. But i was not prepared for a six week stall (and counting!) I hear in your 'voice' real concern that your weight loss will slow down, but it will and it has to. Your poor little body simply cannot maintain that kind of drastic weight loss for an extended period of time. You will most not likely NOT have the stall from hell, like me, but your body will stop, or slow, and readjust itself. It will most likely happen a couple of times until you hit your goal. Just look at what everyone has gone through on here.

I just don't want you to lose hope, and I want you to never stop looking forward to all those reasons you want to lose your extra weight. It WILL happen eventually, when and how YOUR body wants to, not how we necessarily want to. I've learned through this, and through many weeks of despair (which I'm getting over without the scale moving) is that this time it's not something we can control. There is no guilt or fear in this, this time. Of course, we can totally sabotage our weight loss, but, girl, that is HARD to do, lol! Just let go, quit worrying, and let your body do what it needs to do in this time of huge adjustment. It knows what it needs, and how to do it. Just follow the basics, and you can't 'lose', if you know what i mean! You have done amazing! And you will continue to do so, at whatever pace your body wants to

Very well said, Mrs! :wub:

Child, BREATHE! Relax...it's okay.

First...DON'T HATE YOU! God created you and he don't make no junk!

Second... Think about before you were sleeved...if that's what you ate in one day, you'd be like "Dang, I hardly ate today!" It's okay. Nobody expects you to be perfectly strict with yourself to where your living like an obsessed maniac (and the repetitive negative self speak and inner monologue is our red flag). So now, just stop and breathe and remember;

1- your NOT on a diet- you are living a healthy lifestyle complete with healthy eating choices and a realistic and healthy self image.

2- you are making progress and growing. Anything that's not growing is dead. Your fully alive, which means sometimes your going to put things in your mouth you may regret later...and that's okay! You will continue to do your best to do #1.

3- The sleeve is only a tool. You also have exercise, prayer and meditation, supportive community (VST!), and mostly ENOUGH LOVE FOR YOUR LIFE THAT YOU DID SOMETHING SO THAT YOU COULD LIVE IT IN A QUALITY MANNER...

So no more hating out of you, young lady!

:wub:

emlefe, I think that is WAY too low. I haven't heard of a doctor or nutritionist say that, even in the beginning (not that they don't, but man, that sure seems low!!) Most of us scratch our head right after surgery trying to figure out how to get in 800-1000/day! And most of us don't, at the beginning. I agree that your weight loss will be slower, maybe even stall if your calories stay that low. I'm concerned about that number, especially at six weeks out?? How are you doing with that? Are you finding it hard to stay in that range now that you are eating more?? I would have a hard time eating only 600 calories and that would lead to 'diet guilt' which I promised myself I would NEVER have again, which is why I had this surgery!!

SweetP, I think between 1000-1200 is good, too. I have been in a stall for 6 weeks, so can't report lately, but my weight loss would slow down before if I dropped below 1000. Or if I ate too many carbs Just in the last two days, I'm trying to get up to 1200 to see if that breaks my stall. I'll let you know! But your weight loss so far is great! Don't get discouraged! It's way too early for that!!

I have tried leaving the scale alone for a week, but it just devastates me worse!! I have been stalled for six weeks, and the first couple of weeks I was getting frustrated, so I left the scale alone and only weighed on Mondays for a couple of weeks. Every morning, I FOUGHT the urge to get on the scale, telling myself, just wait a week, it'll happen, you'll be so happy on Monday. Well, needless to say, the number was the SAME on Monday, AND the Monday after, AND the Monday after!!! I was even more disappointed because I was sure I would lose something in a whole week! Now I'm back to weighing daily and it's a smaller bummer each day without the whole build up of a week behind it.

But, my stall is extreme. Most don't last six weeks, I'm afraid. So, technically, it probably could have saved my sanity if my stall wasn't so long.

Just my thoughts on the matter!!

Vitamin D deficiency is VERY common in obese individuals. It's because it's a fat soluble Vitamin and stored in fat cells. It has been in the news much recently as it's true many people are deficient, not just overweight people. It has recently been discovered that we need a lot more Vitamin D than previously thought and it's much more important to more body systems and functions than previously thought. Most of us don't even know we're vitamin D deficient until we get tested either before or after the weight loss surgery, but that is now changing too, as most doctors are starting to routinely test their patients, especially their 'larger' ones

Interestingly enough, it would be almost impossible for us to get as much vitamin D as we need from just the sun. I was reading an article (have to find it) that stated we would basically need to sit out in the full sun for 6 hours a day almost nude for our skin to soak up/convert as much vitamin D as we need.

I have been Vitamin D deficient for years and have to take two 2,000 IU capsules a day (or one 5,000 IU cap) to maintain a normal level. At first, you may need to double that to get UP to normal, then cut back to maintain.

There used to be concern, that since it is a fat soluble vitamin like Vitamin A and E, that if you take too much, it could be toxic (as excess is stored, not released through waste). But they have also released research that states up to 10,000 IU a day is safe (note I am NOT a doctor, so please ask yours or do your own research!)

There is a wealth of info out there on this topic now since there have been so many new studies done. I would listen to what your doctor told you to take for your deficiency and then have them monitor it every so often so you know how much to take for a maintenance dose.

Good luck!!

I'm just like Felicia...I have a Tervis Tumblr (LOVE! :wub: ) and I can easily sip/gulp/swallow using the straw about 8 oz at a time! A few big mouthfuls and it goes down juuuuust fine. But then I have to wait a bit, just a few minutes, before I can do it again. But again, I really don't think that's normal, lol!! So weird how our little sleeves are all SO different! I also have no problems taking big bites, or with any food, either. Don't know if that's lucky or unlucky, depends on how you look at it!

Whoo hoo, Jimmy!! Welcome back! I am so glad you found the internal peace and acceptance you need to do this for YOURSELF! So proud and so happy you will be with me on the loser's bench soon!!

I don't remember who told me this, I think it was feedyoureye?? But she said that to remember that just because our surgery just happened, and they took out the portion of the stomach that makes ghrelin, doesn't mean that the hormone isn't still floating in our bodies. It DOES take a while to adjust. I honestly had a REALLY hard time in the beginning, was one of the ones that felt hungry. It took a couple of weeks for it to go away. Add on top of that the mental anguish, or difficulty, of just KNOWING you can't eat, and it's tough. There is a huge physical and mental adjustment in the first month....just hang in there, honey. It WILL get better, I promise. I thought I would be one of the lucky (?) ones that would have NO hunger and would have to force myself to get in nourishment. Not so But now I am happy I can eat whatever/however, and have never had any problems with anything!

I still feel hungry, but it's normal now, not like that gnawing hunger like before. And it's much less than before the surgery. Your body will level out and find it's balance. But it will take a while. Once you are able to eat 'real food', a lot of that hunger, both head and physical, go away. You don't feel deprived anymore, either mentally or physically. Remember, you can eat as much as you can handle now, as long as it's in your guidelines. 9 days out, you on pureeds, yet? Or full liquids? Just keep getting in those blended cream Soups, smoothies, blended bean with bacon Soup, whatever you are allowed to have which will enable you feel as if you are getting food in your body.

Like I said, it does get better, Sweets!! The first couple weeks/month are the hardest. It was more of an adjustment that I expected, that's for sure. And I thought I had read everything and prepared for everything!

There's light at the end of the tunnel!! I promise! Eat what you can to feel satisfied, progress as your doctor says, it will work out and you will be so happy in three months :wub:

Cludgie......I :wub: you........

Hey folks,

I know you'll probably not believe it 100%, but at some point you will step on the scale, and like a bolt from the blue you will be at goal - I promise you!

I had loads of horrid stalls, and for a long time would only lose weight 1 week in every 4 (stupid hormones!!). I never truly believed this could work for me, but even if it is slow and steady - YOU WILL WIN THIS!

I think with WLS we anticipate super fast results, if you had done 2 months of weight watchers, you'd be delighted with say a 10lb loss, but because some people will lose 30/40lb in a month on these boards, we diminish our own achievements if it is less than that.

Celebrate every day in which you feel healthier, every time you have to tighten a belt another notch, every time someone surprises you with a complement.

If you take the time to absorb them, those things can sustain you when the scale is stubborn, and one day soon you'll; step on the scale and dance like a crazy person because of the number being so small, and you'll be sorting the laundry and wonder whose those tiny jeans are, before realising they are yours - AND THEY FIT! And you'll be clothes shopping and realise there is no point rummaging at the back of the rail, because your little size is right up by the front, and you'll do something reckless and fun without even stopping to think if your weight should stop you (like playing on the kiddie swings at the park!). And you'll realise you are 'there'!

You absolutely WILL do all of these things, and most of them will happen when you are nowhere near your scale.

Good luck on your journies, and celebrate every step that you can! xx

Refried Beans and cheese (mixed and warmed up in micro, can add salsa or sour cream on top, you'll be surprised how good this is!), Eggface's ricotta bake (nummy - that was my fauxsagna!), and pureed Soups (campbells bean with bacon, clam chowder, split pea) and my homemade pureed black bean Soup. A bit later, canned chicken breast salad mixed with mayo or avocado, or both!

Oh, Spatters.....thank you. So much. I have been stalled for 6 freakin' weeks and am going absolutely crazy. I try so hard to not get down, but man, is it tough

But you know what, you're right! I just need to somehow get back my determination and anticipation and hope. I had SUCH excitement and high hopes at the beginning, but I've lost it...need to get it back.

So right about not being able to give up and say F*^$ it like I used to at this point. Oh, don't get me wrong, I've tried , but just can't fit much in there!!! I'm hoping the scale will move soon. My problem is that I haven't lost inches, either, which is horrible for six weeks.

Your words did help! :wub: Thank you.....