Inner Surfer Girl

I am over a year post-op from getting the sleeve. The worst parts off the experience for me?
Probably waiting so long to decide to get the surgery, the pre-op uncertainty/anxiety, the little bit of gas pain in my shoulder post-op and some post-op Constipation, and not being able to get in the pool for four weeks post-op.
In other words, not much.

Sounds like it. You can't expect to see 3 or 4 pound daily losses on a daily basis.

I am so sorry you are experiencing such distress. Many people go through a period of regret right after surgery for a variety of reasons: hormonal fluctuations, the shock of surgery on the system, the fact that you cannot use food to regulate moods and emotions, etc.
I would suggest that this is a good opportunity to look for a good counselor or therapist to help you learn to cope in a healthy way. See if the person who did your psych clearance can see you or refer you to someone.
Whether you want to or not, you cannot turn back the clock and change what happened. The good news is that you have no choice but to move forward: you get to decide how well you follow your program and learn to make the most of this opportunity.

It seems that at least 50% of the posts on BariatriPal are bemoaning a stall. Daily, and sometimes hourly, I am reading about how someone ONLY lost x number of pounds and now the scale hasn't moved in ___ [fill in the blank] days/months, etc. Oh no, they write, I am a failure/unique/my surgery didn't work/life is not fair, ... Why am I in a stall?
I know I am exaggerating but I think you get the idea.
Guess what? STALLS are a NORMAL part of the PROCESS of losing weight. If you want to lose weight, you will stall. Not just once, but over and over. And, guess what? A stall is where your body actually does the hard work of becoming smaller. It takes a lot of work and energy to dismantle a structure that has been holding up, in some cases, hundreds of pounds.
For those who think they have to DO something to somehow "break a stall" (in my opinion, you do not break a stall, you just ride them out), here is my response:
What can you do to "break" a stall?
1) STAY OFF THE SCALE
Relax and stay off the scale if it bothers you so much. Weigh no more than once a week, or even less often. Weighing only at your doctor's appointments early in the process is a good strategy if your mood and self-worth are dictated by the numbers on the scale.
2) PICK UP A TAPE MEASURE
In addition to using the numbers on the scale to measure your progress, take your measurements. Inches lost are also a great way to see physical progress when the scale isn't moving. Most people see the biggest physical changes in their body when the scale seems stuck.
3) TRACK YOUR Protein AND Water AND MEET OR EXCEED YOUR PROTEIN AND WATER GOAL EVERY DAY
As long as you are getting in all your protein and water and following your NUT and surgeon's instructions, you are doing what you are supposed to do.
If you aren't getting in all your protein and water, then increasing your protein and water is something you can do (and should be doing anyway whether or not you are in a stall).
4) EXERCISE
If you aren't exercising, then you can exercise (and should be whether or not you are in a stall). You can start slowly by walking or even moving more around the house. Exercising will help you feel better, tone your skin and build fat-burning muscle.
5) MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR NUT
If you are unsure or unclear about what you are supposed to be, or should not be eating, then make an appointment with your NUT (which you should be doing whether or not you are in a stall).
6) REASSESS AND REEVALUATE
About the only good result I see that comes from complaining about a stall is when you take an honest look at what you are doing and realign with the program recommended by your NUT and surgeon. Have you started eating more outside of your plan? Are you restricting calories? Are you eating enough carbs and protein for your exercise? Are you taking your Vitamins? Are you eating often enough? Are you eating slowly with protein first? Sometimes, all you need to DO is go back to basics.
7) JOURNAL
One of the biggest things I have noticed from the various posts is how anxious and out-of-control some people feel when they notice a stall. Journaling can help you gain some perspective and deal with some of the emotional turmoil.
-- Write about how you are feeling about the stall and your weight loss, and surgery in general.
-- Write about why you had the surgery in the first place.
-- Write about what life was like before surgery.
-- Write about what you hope and dream about accomplishing in the future.
-- Write about your fears.
-- Write about your NSVs.
-- Make a gratitude list.
-- Make a bucket list.
-- Write a letter to your old self; write a letter to your new self.
Just write.
8) SEEK HELP
Stalls are when too many people seem to revert to old, counterproductive dieting behaviors (restricting calories, over exercising, bingeing, etc.). If this is you, then another thing you can DO is to talk to a counselor or therapist or consider joining a bariatric support group or a twelve-step group like Overeater's Anonymous.
The discomfort of being in a stall can also drive people to develop new, unhealthy coping habits or even transfer addictions. This is where you want to marshall all the resources you have available to you and use them.
The last, and most important thing you can DO is:
9) EMBRACE THE STALL
Stalls are a normal and natural part of the process.
Our bodies are complex systems and not simple machines.
Stalls go hand-in-hand with weight loss.
If you had Weight Loss Surgery, then you probably want to lose a significant amount of weight. So, get ready to embrace the many stalls you will experience as your body is transformed. It will be worth it.

You are very welcome.
A lot of years of pain, struggle, therapy, and recovery went into preparing me for this stage of my life. If I can share a little bit of what I have learned, it makes it worth it.
Thank you, too @@Babbs for your wisdom, experience, and sense of humor (among other good qualities).

I am grateful that you are laughing again and that I could help a little bit!

I am over a year post-op from getting the sleeve. The worst parts off the experience for me?
Probably waiting so long to decide to get the surgery, the pre-op uncertainty/anxiety, the little bit of gas pain in my shoulder post-op and some post-op Constipation, and not being able to get in the pool for four weeks post-op.
In other words, not much.

I didn't shave, wasn't shaved, and didn't have a catheter.
I was given very detailed instructions about what to do to prep for surgery and this certainly wasn't mentioned.

That was a major reason I weaned myself off of caffeine and carbonation gradually well before surgery. I didn't want to go through caffeine withdrawal after surgery.
I know right after surgery it is hard to get in your fluids, but keep sipping. Staying hydrated will help.

I didn't shave, wasn't shaved, and didn't have a catheter.
I was given very detailed instructions about what to do to prep for surgery and this certainly wasn't mentioned.

Congratulations!
You can gripe all you want, but YOU REACHED YOUR GOAL! How awesome is that?

Congratulations!
You can gripe all you want, but YOU REACHED YOUR GOAL! How awesome is that?

Stalls are a normal and natural part of the process.
Here is something I wrote not very long ago that might give you some ideas.
http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall
Embrace the Stall!

I am over a year post-op from getting the sleeve. The worst parts off the experience for me?
Probably waiting so long to decide to get the surgery, the pre-op uncertainty/anxiety, the little bit of gas pain in my shoulder post-op and some post-op Constipation, and not being able to get in the pool for four weeks post-op.
In other words, not much.

I almost bought a pomegranate at Aldi's the other day. I am not quite sure how to eat one!

I am over a year post-op from getting the sleeve. The worst parts off the experience for me?
Probably waiting so long to decide to get the surgery, the pre-op uncertainty/anxiety, the little bit of gas pain in my shoulder post-op and some post-op Constipation, and not being able to get in the pool for four weeks post-op.
In other words, not much.

I am so sorry you are experiencing such distress. Many people go through a period of regret right after surgery for a variety of reasons: hormonal fluctuations, the shock of surgery on the system, the fact that you cannot use food to regulate moods and emotions, etc.
I would suggest that this is a good opportunity to look for a good counselor or therapist to help you learn to cope in a healthy way. See if the person who did your psych clearance can see you or refer you to someone.
Whether you want to or not, you cannot turn back the clock and change what happened. The good news is that you have no choice but to move forward: you get to decide how well you follow your program and learn to make the most of this opportunity.

I agree. was going to suggest trying different temperatures (room temp or warmer) to see if that makes a difference.

I am grateful that you are laughing again and that I could help a little bit!

I agree. The "stall" is when our bodies are doing the work of becoming smaller: dismantling and moving around the structure that supports our weight.
Embrace the Stall!

As you may have noticed, I respond to a lot of posts with Embrace the Stall!
http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall
I got tired of responding to the same posts multiple times a day and so wrote one long post with the information I have gathered and what works for me and others as it relates to stalls.
I don't see the need for educating people about stalls to lessen anytime soon, but I would like to hear from YOU some of the good things that happened while you were in a stall.
I'll start.
I am grateful that during my last stall, I: dropped a bathing suit size; increased my lap swimming to 1 hour, several times a week and have gotten faster and stronger; am able to get in and out of my car more easily; and no longer need a seatbelt extender.
How about you?

Congratulations!
You can gripe all you want, but YOU REACHED YOUR GOAL! How awesome is that?

Run!!!!!

Run!!!!!

When I was on soft foods I ate a lot of Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tuna, turkey, salmon, refried Beans, green beans, etc. You can still do everything that was allowed during the clear and full liquid phases, too.