chowchows

LOL, I like your doctor...maybe I need to start seeing her! I wasn't wild about my doc pre-surgery, and I have been avoiding him post-surgery. I know that someday I either need to get another doc, or bite the bullet and go break the news to him.

I actually gave myself a "gimmee" day since we were celebrating, and ate out at Longhorn Steakhouse (although I had chicken and only a small portion) but I had chocolate and was bad...and I'm down almost a lb. today too! Thanks for the encouragement! I'm actually starting to see some patterns to my stalls and losses, so maybe next time I won't feel so bad when it happens.

Again, it might just be coincidence, but I was getting around 1200 and added a couple hundred more approximately.

I really think maybe I have been eating too little calories. I took FattoPhat's advice and upped my intake, and I seem to be losing again. Maybe it's coincidence, but I'm hoping that was the reason.

BTW, my weights were similar to yours Kim. Highest weight about 270, surgery weight about 260, current weight 238. Not exact, but similar enough to give you an idea of where I came from. You lost the 30 lbs very quickly...could your body just be taking a break to adjust?

Hi Kim, I am 6 weeks out. Lost 12 lbs very quickly, stalled for two weeks, lost six lbs, have been stalled (and even put on a lb or so) for most of June and have been very upset, but I have started losing again. I don't know what to think or say, because as you can see from some of my recent posts, I have been very worried about not losing anymore as some others have experienced. This long stall thing, and then losing in short fast spurts, is strange to me. I didn't believe I was going to start losing again, but I did...could you just be in a long stall? I'm happy I am starting to lose again, although we will see for how long and how much I actually lose, but I am still not sure how I feel about the whole situation. I have though, always felt restriction. I can eat large amounts of certain foods, but most things I can feel a pretty decent restriction with. I have never gotten sick, even in the hospital, but sometimes I hurt if I eat too much. I know what you mean about thinking that this might be the biggest $$ mistake of your life. I guess time will tell...

I had an issue with acid reflux pre-surgery and the doc told me I would definitely need it for awhile after surgery, as it would get worse before it gets better.

I've heard similar stories on other boards about people not losing after a month or so. I hope you do start losing again! Good luck!

I had the same experience post surgery. I never sleep on my back, so it was a strange experience. I ended up sleeping on my side, but putting several pillows around my body to kind of support my stomach when I was on my side. It seemed to work. I noticed issues with the sleeping for the first three weeks or so, then after that things seemed pretty much like normal.

That's what I am afraid my doc is going to say to me. That's pretty much his opinion.

Ok, I am more than a little discouraged with my plication lately. Feeling that way made me decide to do a little research on all the different boards that have spots dedicated to plication. While there are several people who have been successful with the plication, I keep seeing people who lose for a couple of months and then nothing happens. That's exactly where I am right now, and I am feeling scared that I made the wrong decision and wasted my money and had an unnecessary surgery. I would love to be proven wrong, and have the scale suddenly start moving, but at this point I have not lost anything since May...have actually gained a pound. I have been walking, getting in my Water and Protein, eating several small meals a day and still feel restriction when I eat. That being said though, I am not losing weight. If I had eaten this amount of calories pre WLS, the weight would have fallen off me, so what gives? Is this surgery slowing down our metabolism? I'm sure that some of the non-losers are not doing what they are supposed to, but with all the examples I found I know that there have to be others who are doing the right things and still not losing. I just don't get it, and am feeling very upset over the whole thing. I have been thinking this for awhile, but didn't want to post it and discourage others, but I think if everyone who is having problems posted we might figure this out. Maybe I jumped into a surgery that was too unproven. I thought the years of experience in India and the Middle East were enough data, but who knows now. edited to add: the title should say "Does GSP change our metabolism?"

FattoPhat, Thank you for your reply and thoughts. You may be right, I HOPE you are right. I don't want to discourage anyone, just scared because I have seen several with the same issues of not losing. In theory, to me at least, this seems like the perfect surgery. I am fine with losing slowly, as long as I lose. It's scary though to think that after all of that effort, it might not work.

So you don't feel any restriction? Have you talked to your doctor about it? I feel plenty of restriction, but have been at the same weight for 4 of the 6 weeks post surgery. Are you eating the way you did pre WLS, or trying to diet still at this point?

I know that's what they tell us, but I also know how many calories I am putting into my body...and I should be losing like crazy, but I'm not. I feel restriction, I'm not one of those who doesn't or one who feels hungry all the time. I feel satisfied. I'm eating approx 1200 calories, and gaining a pound? That's not how it works. At my weight I need well over 2,000 calories to maintain, but I am eating much less, therefore I should be losing but I am not. Therefore I wonder if this surgery has changed the way something works in our bodies? Almost backwards to what happens with DS or other malabsortion surgeries. I'm just curious. Can anyone explain this? I know about plateaus, but nobody plateaus this long in regular diets. What about this surgery causes such long plateaus or for people eating less than the necessary calories not to lose weight? Honestly, it is just calories in calories out...all things (exercise, protein, etc) aside...so why are so many not losing or losing so slow (much slower than their calorie intake should allow)?

Hi Kandy, So you haven't had any weight loss, or you've stopped losing now at the 6 month mark? I'm beginning to think there are a lot of us that maybe this isn't working for. I am only 6 weeks out, but most of what I have lost is in the two weeks post surgery. I'm rather discouraged, and I know there are others that feel the same.

I hope that happens to me too. Right now I am fearful that I've lost 20 lbs and I am going to stay there and not lose anymore. I thought I had lost some on the 9th, but I am back up today. So that means I have lost nothing for the entire month of June pretty much.

I know of 3 people now who have had severe complications post surgery. It is good information to know, and I don't think it should be deleted. I do, however, think that there is a complication factor with each and every WLS. Everyone should be able to see all the facts though, and make an informed decision on whether to have WLS, and if so, which one to pick. There were several reasons why I chose plication surgery, even after hearing of the other two complication cases. I think it might not be the right surgery for some, but for me it made sense. Thank you Lena for posting this! Hope you're feeling much better! Are you going to revise to another surgery now? Take care!

It's funny how different our bodies are. The more I cut calories, the more I stayed the same. I had to increase my calories and carbs for a little bit to get my stall to break. I think my body was in starvation mode. Mine started at two weeks out and lasted almost two weeks. Then I lost 6 lbs in a week. Go figure!

Yeah, I may have to take up donations for a boob job when I get to my goal weight. At this rate though, I have plenty of time. LOL! I feel your pain!

The pain on the left side is normal...my doc described it as "your stomach trying to uncurl itself". My pains quit abruptly around the two week mark. Not sure about the losing your breath part, maybe you should contact your doc. Could it be that you are just weak and tired from the liquid diet? Either way, I would ask your doc. I am 5+ weeks out and have lost just at 20 lbs since the surgery, so 15lbs in less than two weeks is a lot! Congrats!

I am afraid of that too. I seem to be losing weight differently this time around too. I am not unhappy with where I am losing it, it's just different from what I am used to and that makes me a bit nervous. I am losing in my stomach (which is my problem area) but not any in my butt, so now that is starting to look big compared to the places I am losing inches. I usually lose pretty evenly, with my stomach being the last spot. It's always something!

This is for everyone, but especially those of you who have lost quite a bit (even on the band or some other way). How well did your skin 'bounce back'? Did you do anything to try to help it? I am trying to remember to put a high quality lotion on my problem areas, but I am concerned that even though us plicators lose slower than some other surgeries, my hope (that my skin would have time to recover) may not come true.

I've thought about that now that I realize the weight loss isn't going to be as fast as I thought. I don't want the few people who know thinking, "well, she can't even do this right", and you know how most people think WLS is a super simple, magical, instant answer.

Proud of you, but jealous , lol! You go girl...keep inspiring us!

Thank you-I'm right at 20 lbs right now (1 week and 1 month out) but I think I am entering a stall again. <sigh> MaggieDiva says "thank you"!