Search the Community

I would suggest something about the infamous three-week stall. It seems like there's a post almost every day from someone who's about three weeks out, frantic because they haven't lost any weight in several days. I really wish more clinics would tell patients about this early stall, because it happens to the majority of us, and most people don't know about it ahead of time so they freak out when it happens. also, something about how the rate of weight loss is dependent on many factors, some of which you have little to no control over, like genetics, how muscular you are, starting BMI, age, gender. And also not to expect to lose 30+ lbs the first month, because that's not common with people unless they're the size of the people on "My 600 lb Life". Just let them know that if they stick to their clinic's plan, the weight WILL come off. Their ultimate success is dependent on how compliant they are, not their rate of weight loss.

The dreaded three week stall. Just stick to your plan. My three week stall lasted a frustrating three weeks, but many only stall for a few days to a week. It’s completely normal and you are doing the right thing by focusing on inches! 😀

I know everyone's surgeon/nutritionist's post op/lifetime eating plans are different. I see most folks are told to eat 3 meals plus snacks in between and second most popular seems to be ~6 small meals a day. My plan is 3 meals a day no snacks and to only supplement protein with protein shakes if need be, not on the regular. I admittedly have been having snacks in between meals like a cheese stick or something strictly high protein, everything I consume has protein, no empty calories. I cannot fathom how to get the required protein in only three post-op sleeve size meals a day. The only way I can imagine is if you eat something every meal that you add protein powder to. My manual even states that at the point I am now I should be able to get in all the required protein through food alone. I say BS if you aren't allowed a snack in between. I was curious if anyone else has this type of plan and what you think, even more curious if you follow it and how you do it? I am still losing and just had my first stall the past two weeks which broke this week, even during my LB stall I was still losing circumference so I know I'm doing OK I guess I want reinforcement. My surgeon's office also said they expect their patients to eat 600-800 (which is where I'm at) calories a day and after everything I've been reading and from this forum I think that is wrong. It seems the most successful of the bunch are into the 1000 cal/100gms protein range. My surgeon and his handiwork are excellent and I'm very pleased, but the nutritionist and bariatric nurse I feel are not progressive sticking with older ideals. I didn't go through this and pay all this money to have a couple of thin years then not be able to keep it off because I can't stick to starving myself! Just a little frustrated!! =/

I consider myself to be a slow loser, but it is relatively steady outside of the usual stalls. I am keeping active with Water aerobics three times a week and also walking. I do consider this a marathon and not a sprint (are those the right terms?) and so I am being very patient. Perhaps get back to basics - I think there is a "bootcamp" posted by Lilmissdiva here. If you are eating chocolate, maybe other things are slipping as well. That is not judgmental, as we all do it! Maybe, Like Iowaandy says, go back to liquids for a week. Definitely up the Protein. I think that is our best weapon against hunger and potential bingeing. I don't see your stats, but did you start at a lower weight than most? I think some of the lower starting weights may not drop as quickly. Also, when I get a little discouraged, I look at my progress since surgery and I think to myself how there is no way in hell I could have lost that amount of weight and kept it off before surgery. Some of us are going to go a little slower but it is still better than where we were on our own. Good luck you you!

I had mine on jan 3rd. So far down 73 lbs. I have had my blood pressure meds reduced from 20 mg to 5 mg. I go to the gym three nights a week and do about an hour on the treadmill. Currently eating between 600-800 calories a day with between 70-100g of protein. I realized that making sure I get enough protein and drinking water all day has helped when the weight loss slows down or stalls.

Do a search for week three stall. Super common and there are scientific reasons for it.

I'm at the "three week stall" it sucks. And I'm not sure what to eat to get out of it. I heard to eat more, but wow it's hard to eat what I am now lol. Hopefully it won't last long. I've lost 19lbs so far which I'm so thankful for but ready for the rest to come off!

1) I see a lot of people talk about not having an appetite for foods they previously enjoyed or not being able to swallow certain foods. Why is this? My naive thought process is that your stomach had a procedure but your taste buds didn't and why would something that happened to the stomach impact your ability to swallow certain foods? I don't think anyone really knows why our tastes change. My best guess would be it has to do with elimination of a source of hunger hormone, plus gut bacteria get re-set through surgery. It is real though! As for swallowing, I actually haven't heard about people not being able to swallow something. If the taste or texture feels off, many people will choose not to swallow food after surgery. If it isn't soft enough, well-chewed, etc., it may come right back up after you swallow it. That's about all I know that would shed any light on that. 2) I see people talk about not losing much weight or immediately having hunger again. Why is this? Is there a percentage of people that a smaller stomach doesn't work for? How can you not lose weight with a significantly smaller stomach {aside from poor food or liquid choices}. I know we all have different metabolism and our bodies process foods differently - I don't necessarily believe in the whole "calories in, calories out" thing but ... seriously, how can your body not lose if your stomach is like 80% smaller and you follow the food/liquid rules? There are different phenomena that are possible here, and I am not sure which you are talking about. Some people experience stalls in weight loss, even early on (the three week stall for example), even though they are doing everything right. I'm not sure anyone knows for sure why that stall or any other stall happens -- glycogen depletion and replacement, hormonal changes, lots of things could be at work. Then there are people who lose a lot of weight and then either stop losing, or start re-gaining. Typically that's because of poor food choices: grazing all day, eating high-calorie, low-density slider foods, refusing to weigh/measure their portions and track calories and Protein, things like that. What is the percentage of people this just doesn't work for? Depends on your definition of "work for," as well as on your own surgeon. You would want to discuss rates of maintained excess weight loss for your specific surgeon with him or her. That whole "inverted gastric sleeve" sounds like a fancy name for over-sewing the staple line, which I think a lot of surgeons do.

I was in a stall for almost 4 weeks. Mind you I had my VSG on 8/2/16 so not even three months ago. I was -30 pounds for everrrrrrrr. I finally broke free and I'm -40 pounds as of today. It happens. Dont stress or obsess. I did both. And self sabotaged at times. But I worked through the emotions and got a stomach bug (ha, lost two pounds bc of that). Some days I don't feel like I look different. That may take a while. But I feel different. And I genuinely feel like if I never lost a pound ever again (god I hope not) but I wouldn't regret this surgery. Because of this surgery I have lost 40 pounds. Wow. SW: 264.5 CW: 224.5 Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am just two months out, but had a 3.5 week stall at three weeks. I received much encouragement from VST and all the great people here. As was said to me, keep doing everything right and it will come off. I lost 4.5 lbs the next week once the stall broke and have lost some every week since. My doctor told me that losing weight with VSG is like standing on a step and waiting patiently for awhile, then jumping 2 or 3 steps at a time. That's exactly how it has felt for me. Good luck!.

I am barely getting in 300 calories with all the diet stuff they have you drinking and food just sits there for an hour after just 3 or 4 bites. I have not started working out because I am afraid I will lose too much since I can't really eat. I still have not found any protien supplements that are good. Just got some Unjury's chicked Soup and some of these fruity drinks that you mix, but it is not enough to go full on working out. I am not losing at a considerable pace, but I wouldn't mind stalling for a few weeks just to let my body readjust. No stalls here. 2 pounds a week right now. I can already see my skin start to look not so great, but I also feel like I am losing muscle. I enjoy the weight loss, but 300 calories a day just seems WAY TOO LOW. I feel ok. Tired a little and probably dehydrated a little. I have to wait an hour before I can drink anything after I eat just three bites of food and right now sometimes I feel like I have to choose between eating or drinking. Like I can't do both. I am NEVER HUNGRY. I know that I have to eat. I don't forget, but eating is like punishment. I ate 3 thin slices of turkey meat about 30 minutes ago and it is still there. That was about an ounce of meat. I would give anything just to be able to eat 4 oz. If I can eat only an ounce of food one month out, how will I ever be able to eat a cup of food? Am I still swollen? Does it stretch? And what is really crazy is I went for a walk and was so thirsty. I was able to knock back a bottle of gatorade in no time, but normally I can not drink that much. I remember before surgery food would sit in my tummy for FOREVER. That hasn't changed. The amount of time it takes to digest something...I will have to look that up...Is that based on metabolism. I started to dip my turkey meat in a full fat dressing (no carbs) just to get my calories up a little. Then I can only eat two slices.

Did any of you go through the famous three week stall?

people seem to have biggest drops the first month or two (other than during the infamous "three week stall".

I can't believe I am three and a half weeks out now- time is racing by. I had to put my poor little cat down recently, which broke my heart so I have had a serious case of the glums. Some things, however have been going well..I helped to move a friend's apartment contents and cat to a new apartment in the same building, and she has given me a key and said I can use the apartment pool whenever I like while she is away on vacation. Since I was cleared to submerge about a week ago I have been swimming every day and I am loving it. I'm starting to really regret that I don't live in an apartment with a pool though - something to think about for next year when we all have to make decisions about whether to take company housing or not. A place with a pool where I can swim sounds great right now.I can't believe I am so enjoying it- which means I must keep it up, even though it is only breaststroke for 30 minutes a day it burns nearly 500 calories and works on the dreaded batwings. Since my first VSG surgeon consultation back in April I have lost 17.5 kgs (38 lbs ) and since surgery 9.8 kgs (21.6 lbs).Not bad- I've had a few 'stalls' but I keep going back to Benjammin's wise words about this here http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/blog/1390/entry-3580-the-voice-of-reason/ and then I just mentally shrug and get on with it. Yes it is annoying but it'll help no-one to dwell on it. I am onto mashed foods now which is GREAT. I have cooked the yummy baked Ricotta cheese and love it. I also eat scrambled egg, tuna mayo, baked grouper, prawn paste, shredded cheese, bolognaise sauce, minced chicken mayo. I have also discoverd that if I add a really strong 2 teaspoons of decaff instant coffee dissolved in a little hot water to my isopure vanilla shake it takes the sickly sweetness away and makes it like a really quite drinkable type of iced latte. So I'm supplementing my protein with one of those every day, and having no problem getting protein in. I am NOT getting water in so easily. As soon as I go out anywhere during the day I can't drink as it is Ramadan which means no drinks/food consumption in public and that really slows me down. I am getting enough liquids in, just not as much as I'd like. I have found if I eat too much my nose runs and I sneeze a lot which is a bit strange but I am not alone in that and I'm glad I have some sort of full signal. Otherwise, I'm physically good, healing ridiculously well, no weird side-effects from surgery and am finally sleeping on my tum. Now to try and stop missing my kitty so much and drag myself kicking and screaming out of the glums.

I've been thinking about Weight Loss Surgery for a long time, but could not seriously pursue it until my husband concurred, which was last fall. We attended an informational seminar in Palm Springs CA over the winter and began looking for a surgeon then. We were in CA for the winter, but moving to WA state at the end of April. My medical insurance is Medicare/Tricare for Life, so I had to use a "Center of Excellence". I was able to make an appointment with Dr. Jeffrey Hunter at Virginia Mason Clinic in Federal Way WA. We met with him on May 3, 2007 and he thoroughly discussed the pros and cons of both bypass and lapband surgery. He told me that he would want me to lose 10% of my body weight prior to surgery. I weighed in at 325 that day. I started a 1000-1200 calorie diet the next day. I lost about 2 lb. a week for the first three weeks. Then the weight loss stalled and so did my enthusiasm. In a short time, I had regained the 7 lb. I was supposed to have a second appointment with Dr. Hunter in early June, but his nurse, Stephen called me early that week and told me that I didn't need to come in until I'd lost the weight. So the next day I started on a 350-500 calorie diet. Its been three weeks and I've now lost 20 lb. Last week, after several phone calls to report my weight loss thus far, Stephen called me back with a surgery date of July 20. I will have to go in about 10 days prior to that for pre-op appointments with Dr. Hunter, the dietician and the anesthesia department. :ranger:

My surgeon had me walking the day after surgery (It helps in the healing process) I continued to walk after I was home from surgery. Each surgeons’ instructions are a bit different. Your Dr. will release you for lifting and exercise. After you are healed, you will absolutely be able to get into activity/exercise of your choice. Start slow and work your way up. What did my post op work outs look like? My goal after surgery was to run race for the cure 5K in memory of my mother. I started walking 30 mins and worked it to an hour a day for the first three weeks. Third month I had a major stall. I sold my treadmill and bought a gym member ship. Third month: I did weight lifting with an hour of cardio 5 days a week. I mixed icardio up on elliptical, treadmill, stairmaster and treadmill. I took a women’s lifting class. What I learned is too much cardio will slow down building muscle. I altered my workout program. My workouts have changed and evolve over the years. I am 50. I love being a bad ass grandmother. You never know where your weight loss can take you. We are all stronger than we give ourselves credit for. I have completed 5K to a full marathon. Last year, I ran two mountain elevation/ trail half marathons. This year my bucket list run is Revel Mt. Charleston in Las Vegas. Find exercise/activity’s you enjoy and be consistent!

I'm coming up on my sixth week post OP and have been stalled since week three. Scale did move 3 lbs this weekend. Is everyone else experiencing this? Literally feel as if i have failed:(

Finally broke 200 as of this morning, havent seen this weight since my first semester of college! I was hoping to be at goal by 6 months but that is not happening unless I can get 14 lbs off in the next three weeks. I had a stall for about 3 weeks or so and then just lost about 10 lbs in the past 2 weeks. Pretty sure I can't sustain that rate of loss through the 23rd though! Anyway, I feel great, and for those of you doubting your decision to have this surgery, give it time and it will work for you!!!! I owe a lot of the inspiration to this site so thanks to everyone for being so positive and for posting progress pics!

I lost 18 lbs. in the first three weeks after surgery, then nothing. It has been 17 days now since I have lost anything. I am starting to get discouraged as you might imagine. I was wondering how long other people have gone in their stalls.

You should look at the quality of drinks you are using. They could be full of sugar. I personally upped my protein recently and broke a stall, losing 8lbs in a week after three weeks of nothing. The protein was what did it likely.

sounds like you're doing everything correctly. i'm in the same boat. down 80lbs since feb and i've stalled out over the last month. i run 5 miles three times a week and log all of my calories keeping sub 1300 a day. i feel like stalls kinda work themselves out. you're definitely at a calorie deficit and you're killing it with exercise. if someone has advice i'd love to hear it as well. but for me the stalls have gone away after a while.

@jess9395. Haha. I don't remember what happened at the three-week mark. This is week nine for me. I've noticed no change for the last five days, but I hesitate to call even five days a stall. The way I see it, a true stall requires that after a bowel movement, you still weigh the same.

The three week stall is sorta infamous seems like that’s where you are.

Ok this is my story I was sleeved Jan 24,2013 I started out at 264,and i'm now 173,after a month stall,i just loss a pound,they say stalls would happen,i don't count my calories,i try to eat every two hour,because i'm only able to eat small amounts of food.if you are exercising that much make sure you are eating enough calories to burn off I only exercise three days a week,because I know my stomach can not hold that much food,so I don't have much to burn up,so be very mindful on that,after a month stall I was excited to see the scale move again,i only drink water no diet drinks, no fruit juices,no bread..no sweets, every now and than I may take a bite of something sweet,and than i'm happy, lol,, I know it gets hard,but hang in there,you will start losing again and take that scale and put it up,and take it out in three weeks again,don't do that to your self

Yes, it's very real and very frustrating. I had to just decide to step away from the scale. I was stalled for about three weeks and felt so pathetic. I thought I'd be the only one to have this surgery and then not lose anymore weight. Now I'm 3.5 months out and I still stall. The stalls are just not as long. My weight also fluctuates regularly. I'm constantly down between 55-60 pounds. But I can feel the difference in how my clothes fit. I try to focus on that instead of the number on my scale. Good luck!! You'll get passed it!!