Rogofulm

Ten+ weeks out, and for the most part everything is going great! One weird sensation, though... I frequently feel like I have a hair, or several hairs stuck on my tongue. Mostly this is on the back on my tongue, but sometimes the feeling is on the side as well. But when I reach for the offending hair, I never find anything. It's phantom fuzz! I've tried brushing my tongue extra hard with my toothbrush, but nothing changes. It causes me to drink a lot of Fluid, so I guess that's one good aspect of it. But it's still pretty annoying. Has anyone else had this experience?

Glad to help! I've kind of made it a personal crusade to inform people about the Week-3 Stall because I wish someone had told me! I was going to lose my mind until I tripped over that article. Then I was able to chill and ride it out.

I think you're fine. Unsweetened apple sauce was okay for me after the first few days. Just don't let it fill you up and prevent you from getting in your Protein and fluids!

Hah! Actually it didn't have much of a smell, at least that I could tell....

Congratulations! You have reached "The Dreaded Week-3 Stall". It's perfectly normal and just about all of us have suffered through it. You're not crazy, and your doctor didn't screw up. In fact, you might not lose any weight for two weeks or more. But don't worry -- after that, the weight will start falling off if you stick to your program. If you're interested, here's a good article that explains why it happens and why we all have to go through it. Hang in there. Pretty soon it'll be in the rear-view mirror and you'll be dropping weight like crazy!

Hi Kandis! Water, especially cold water, can be hard to tolerate at first. I'm a big fan of Crystal Light (or generic) sugar-free, decaffeinated iced tea. I keep a two-quart jug at home and also at work and drink them all day long (but not within half an hour on either side of a meal). Just pour the packet in, add water, put the top back on and shake. It's quick and easy, because I'm lazy when it comes to food and drink preparation. The tea doesn't have carbs (like G2), or sugar (like apple juice), both of which can really slow down your weight loss. My doc said we should give up fruit juices for life. They are the fastest way to gain back the weight we've we've lost. So give the tea a shot. (They also make lemonade and other flavors.) And really, really try to get at least 64 oz. in every day. Otherwise you could get badly constipated (also involving the wazoo). Good luck! It gets better and better, and pretty soon you'll be feeling human again.

I tried two crazy ideas to get away from tuna and chicken salads - canned oyster salad, and... wait for it... canned escargot. Like I said, crazy! The canned oysters with mayo and relish were truly disgusting! I heated the escargot in the office microwave with some spray butter, garlic, salt, and parsley, and believe it or not, they weren't bad. I even gave one to a workmate and she thought it was pretty good. It's something I might do once every couple of months, but I'd saute them at home and reheat them at work. I shared this mostly for a laugh, to show the extremes we'll go to to change it up a bit. Actually i find that leftovers make a great lunch -- grilled chicken breasts, homemade soups, Beans (kidney/black/black-eyed, etc.), steak, and one that I haven't seen mentioned, Jenno-Extra Lean Turkey Ham. A hearty slice (4 oz.) cut up into cubes and dipped in my favorite mustard is 120 calories with 16 grams of Protein. And if all else fails, there's always a [shudder] Protein shake. Good luck!

Me too! My wife and I made ribs for company last weekend, (I even did the grilling portion myself), but I only ate one rib with a few roasted veggies on the side. The old full rack is a thing of the past!

Okay, here's one guy's perspective... I'd prefer to know what to expect beforehand. The surprises hidden under our clothes could "spoil the moment" if they are not expected. Besides, if you're anticipating intimacy, perhaps you can work this into "the talk" you probably want to have anyway. STDs and protection are not comfortable subjects to discuss, but we still need to have the conversation, right? So why not roll this into that already not-so-sexy pre-intimacy convo? If he's still on board, great! And if not, then you may have learned something about him while limiting your vulnerability. I wish you the best of luck -- hopefully he's a keeper!

Sounds like you're about 6 months out. This is the 3rd reference I've seen today to a 6-month stall. Here's a link to another post. http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/318562-6-month-stall/ Perhaps you can support each other in getting through this. As I've mentioned before, after my Week-3 Stall, my DOC told me that the next major plateau would be at 6 months. I'm a guy, so I don't know if that holds true for women as well. But going by what I've read today, it may be an issue for both genders. But I'm a newbie... Any vets out there, particularly women, remember if they had a big, bad 6-month stall?

Glad to help! Yeah, it's a bitch to hit that roadblock just when you're just starting to feel human again and building some momentum. My Doc told me that the next major stall, at least for guys, is at around 6 months. But I read a post today from a woman who is stalled at 6 months. Hey, if I can make it until then without another major plateau, I'll take it! Okay, if anyone's interested, here's the reason for the stall. It's pretty fascinating; especially the part about the saber-tooth tiger!

I'm not there yet, but after my Week-3 Stall my Doc told me that my next major stall would be at about 6 months. I'm a guy so we may be different, but perhaps that's what you're going through.

Yup, B12 is great!

It depends on your insurance. Some require a weight loss prior to surgery; others use excess weight loss as a reason to deny surgery; and others encourage it, but don't really care. Talk to your bariatric coordinator to get some insight into your insurance company's requirements. Go to your nutritionist session, and then use that as incentive to get back on the horse. Good luck!

You may also be thirsty. You'll find that after surgery, thirst can disguise itself as hunger. So start with some Water, tea, or other approved fluids. If that doesn't work, you can have another shake, or Greek yogurt, or sugar free Jello or popsicles. I also drank low-sodium chicken broth sometimes as a change from dairy. The good news is that after surgery you're no longer hungry. Hang in there!

Or as someone else posted recently, "I'm overweight!" (As their BMI dropped below 30.) I loved that, and hope to post it myself before too long. Specifically, in 22 pounds (but whose counting?).

You've lost 50 pounds! You are well on your way - and that alone should make you feel good about yourself. Keep it up you're doing great!!!

I agree with everything you said, and that is my long-term goal. Right now I'm 10 weeks from surgery, so I'm still in the learning phase, and will be for some time. For now, my "safer route" does not include carbs. I know they will come in time, but my very limited capacity doesn't allow room for them. And since I'm not missing them, why would I want them? For example, last night for dinner I ate 4 ounces of grilled chicken breast, and 2 small stalks of broccoli. And the last bite of chicken came back up. Where would I put any other food? And again, since I'm not missing the carbs, I don't need to go looking for them. Gradually, I know I'll reintroduce more variety - in moderation. I've been to many parties and on a two week vacation in the past couple of months, and was never tempted to stray. Again, I know this will get harder, but I'm going to enjoy my "honeymoon" as long as possible -- including through the holidays! So by the time I make goal, my head will be completely in the right place for the long haul. I exercise 6x per week and stay involved with this forum. I even go to support group meetings a couple of times a month - not because I feel a need for them just now, but just as another piece of my program. I'm determined not to be one of the 30% that fail in this. Thanks for the advice! And congratulations on reaching, and maintaining your goal!

Congratulations, BL2014!!! I have old shirts to last me another 3-4 weeks, but all my pants are starting to look like clown pants. Time to go to Goodwill or Salvation Army for the next round of clothes. I'll drop off a bunch, and then buy some replacements. No point in buying new stuff that won't fit in a couple of months. Keep up the good work!!!

I also did a bunch of research and talked to several people about their surgeries. And still... I had no real idea what was coming. How is that possible? Maybe people just block the unpleasantness, or don't want to scare you, so they don't tell you how hard the first night, and the first week or so are going to be. Whatever it is, everybody in my surgeon's support group seemed surprised at how much it hurts when you wake up, and how hard it is to start taking in food and drink at first. So now, whenever I'm asked, I try to give people the real scoop. At 7 days I was still a little roughed-up. The surgery pain had abated, but I thought the constipation was going to kill me. I even called my surgeon's office a couple of times to ask if what I was feeling in my stomach and chest was normal. The first time it felt like everything was getting caught trying to turn the corner into my stomach. The second time, everything seemed to be getting stuck in my chest. And each time they reassured my that it was perfectly normal. They reminded me that my insides are very swollen in response to the trauma. As the swelling goes down, things will begin to feel more like your "new normal". Which is quite different from your "old normal". For the first week or so, focus on getting your liquid in - even over the Protein if necessary. Staying hydrated will really help you heal. Try to walk as much as you can. Take Fiber to avoid constipation. And try swallowing your pills with your Protein shake. I find that coats them nicely and makes them go down more easily. But if anyone is experiencing a severe pain or discomfort, please call your surgeon's office immediately! They need and want to hear from you! Even if you just have questions -- call them. That's part of what you paid for. And since there are several new post-ops following this thread, I will again mention "The Dreaded Week-3 Stall". About 3 weeks after surgery, you may stop losing weight. This could last for two weeks or even longer. It's a perfectly normal biological adjustment to your new situation that involves renewed Fluid retention. Don't fret. After a few weeks you'll start losing again. If anyone's interested, here's the reason. And as everyone else has said, it gets better every day! Honest.

Good article, Bufflehead! I'm only 10 weeks post-surgery, but I've made an effort to stay away from carbs. A little fruit, here and there, but no starches. BTW, I asked my surgeon about sweet potatoes. He agreed that they are "superfoods", but said that for purposes of this program, they're better avoided. They may have great nutrients, but they're still starches. My philosophy is that the longer I can avoid anything that turns to sugar in my body, the less likely I'll be to crave sweets and the carb boost. I'm going to try and ride this to my goal and hope that my body will decide that it likes its new weight and wants to stay there. Hopefully by the time I get to goal, I will have internalized the self control necessary to avoid making less than optimal choices. At that point, I'll begin introducing more "normal" habits. I also recognize that somehow along this journey, I'm going to have to increase my caloric intake from the current 700-800 to a more reasonable 1200-1300 per day. I'm a little scared of that because I don't know where those extra calories are going to come from that won't harm my program. RJ, it sounds like you're already there. Congratulations on making your goal, and on two years post-surgery! I hope to follow in your footsteps and be able to join the "real world" eventually. But for now, I need to stick to the safer route.

In a parking lot, you no longer care if you find a space near the door.

YES!!!!!

You are going through "The Dreaded Week 3 Stall". It can last two weeks, or even a little longer. You'll think your doctor goofed, or you're the first bariatric patient that surgery didn't work for. Not true! It's perfectly normal and there's a biological explanation for it. Almost all of us experience this first stall. Once it passes it's clear sailing for a while. Don't be discouraged -- you'll be fine and the weight will start dropping again soon! Spread the word! This stall is really disheartening for a lot of patients. If they know about it in advance, it's not such a hurdle. I wish someone had told me!

Good for you, Lisa! That wasn't easy. You should be proud of standing up for yourself!