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In April 2012, I was driving to work one sunny morning when my life changed. A 19 year old drunk driver drove into my lane and hit me head-on. I know just how lucky I am not only to be alive, but not to have been injured any worse than I was. I had 3 broken bones and spent 4 weeks in a wheelchair, 2 with a walker and cane, and weeks in physical therapy, but I'm still here! The problem was even after physical therapy, my joints hurt. I thought I just needed to work-out and lose weight. Uh, yeah, I was about 316 pounds, so that should have been enough of a clue! However, working out wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, because I was in pain during and after. I realized that I needed to take off the weight in order to make the exercise work for me. I had considered weight loss surgery before and had even gone to an informational meeting, but didn't follow through. It seemed too extreme! What I needed at this time was the extreme. I had surgery Dec. 19,2012 by Dr. Teresa LaMasters. It was easily the BEST decision I've made to improve my health! I didn't have any problems. My insurance approved the procedure literally in less than 24 hours! I was fortunate that because of the car accident, my deductible was met and I didn't have to pay very much out of pocket for the procedure either. Nothing made me sick after surgery. My tastes changed some in that Protein drinks that I liked before surgery tasted like drinking syrup after and I found that the only one I really like is chocolate unjury. I also discovered Quest Protein Bars and love them! For about the first year, everything was easy. I got down to 209 pounds and stalled some. Some of the stall was due to the fact that I discovered I could eat anything and maintain for the most part as long as I worked out and didn't over do. So I'd gain and lose the same 5 pounds! (This is the point I should have been smacking myself in the head! lol) Things were going so smoothly for me, that my husband decided to have the surgery as well. He's 6'4 and was over 400 pounds. His surgery was June 2014. He's down 125 pounds so far. Now we're to the part of my story that got me here. In October, my sister started to not feel good and went to the hospital. She came home and they thought she had a virus. Two weeks later, she was worse and they admitted her. Three days later, no one had answers and she was transferred to a bigger hospital. In the meantime, I'm working on an important report for the federal government that will help me gain "points" towards re-funding the grant for my program. I was also informed at this time that my employer didn't want to spend the money on a grant writer and that it was now "my job" to write the grant that funds my job and 3 others over the next 5 years. Oh, and did I mention I was supposed to do this in my spare time for no money? We're approaching Thanksgiving and my sister is still in the hospital without a diagnosis, but with dozens of tests run. The week of Thanksgiving, we hear she's going to get to come home! Yea! The next day, they decided they needed to put a stent in and that she can't leave yet. Two days later, they decided she had polycythemia vera. She never got to come home. She passed away on December 1. 12 days before her son's 22 birthday...22 days before her 25th wedding anniversary...during her daughter's first semester of college. It's just so surreal to have my best friend and sister be gone. Our family is fractured. Two days before the funeral, my husband had surgery on an elbow he'd injured. The thought of him with anesthesia terrified me. Then two weeks later, I had surgery. We made it through Christmas and needless to say, food was a comfort through all of this. On Dec. 26, I went for my yearly mammogram and got a call two days later that it was abnormal and I had to have another. From there, I went to a breast cancer specialst and was informed that I had to have a biopsy. (I'm thinking to myself, are you FREAKING kidding me!! Yes, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself!) Good news, NO CANCER! Whew! In the middle of all of this, I finished that stupid grant that turned into a nightmare and things were starting to look up! Then, honest to God, I should be in a country song...I came home last week to find one of our furry, four-legged children dead. ARGH!!!! I've decided that if I've survived all of this, then I can DO ANYTHING!! Yes, I've gained 14 pounds since my lowest weight. However, I'm determined that this will not beat me!! I am so encouraged my the stories I've read here and am anxious to try some of the suggestions people have made. Thanks for giving me some inspiration!

I am copying my respone in another thread which is almost the exact as yours and the reply is applicable to you too: It would be useful if you filled in your profile: weight and height, helps with context to some questions/posts. I wouldn't say it was slow either, 6kilos in three weeks is good, you are doing great. Your body has been through a surgery, there is swelling and inflammation, its healing. If you read through a lot of the posts here or use the search link for stalls you would see that stalls are a common factor in weight loss surgery even in the first few weeks. The infamous three week stall that can happen at two or four weeks too, for some people the first stall may last a short time for others it can be a few weeks. There will be other stalls along the way. If you lost a lost of weight pre surgery in the pre op diet, this typically lessens the weight loss in the immediate post op phase as you've already lost all the bloat and Fluid retention. https://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/436058-hardly-any-weight-loss-after-week-2-post-op-is-this-normal/

you're in the infamous "three week stall". Almost everyone experiences that. In fact, you'll find literally thousands of posts on this site about the three-week stall. Just stick to your program and stay off the scale if you need to. It'll last 1-3 weeks, and as long as you stick to your program, your weight loss WILL start up again. It always does..

I seem to have mini stalls every week or so due to fluctuation, but then I drop like 4 lbs in three days.

I was sleeved on Jan. 22 so I’m 3.5 weeks post-op. Up until Feb. 9th, I was losing weight at a pretty consistent rate. However, since the 9th, I’ve been bouncing up and down between 3 pounds. I have heard about and understand the science behind the 3 week stall. I also understand that my body is going under major changes but I’m afraid I’m doing something wrong with my food choices. If it is just a stall, how long do they usually last? I am starting to get discouraged. I know I wasn’t getting enough Water and Protein so I’ve been very conscientious about meeting the minimums over the last week or so. I have also been experiencing light-headedness. I have emailed my NUT but I don't think I'll hear from her until Tuesday. I figured I'd ask the experts in this group to see if you had any guidance. Thanks in advance for your help.

I was losing a pound a day, and then suddenly one week out, I was losing four pounds a day! Three days of that, and I didn't lose anything for three days... this morning I weighed myself after a three day stall, and lost another 3 pounds. I think it is a strange hormone/pms/bowelm chain of events which cannot be considered on a daily basis. Think holistically in the greater scheme of things.

I would not worry about it to much your body is in a state of shok and yes your weight will fluctuate up and day every day all day long so maybe you should be one of the people who only weigh once a week. as for the three week stall that is perfectally normal and I promise you as long as you are following your dr's guidelines you will begin to loose again.

Five months to your first stall (thereabouts) is actually exceptionally good. I hit my current stall at the three month mark and have spent the last two weeks fighting it. You don't have much data posted about your journey, but I would say keep positive and if you think you can tweak a few things (add a little exercise, etc...), do it, otherwise, you will hit the road again.

Dont get upset when you hit the three week stall. Sent from my SM-G930P using the BariatricPal App

I'm right there with you. I was three weeks out yesterday. Fluctuate between 212 and 213. Starting weight was 236. I'm still super excited though! Increasing my fluids. (As much as I can, lol). The stall isn't getting me down! We got this!!!

Thanks for the encouragement!!! I'm Not even three weeks yet, I've been stalled since about 2 and a half weeks. Is this stall still normal so early on? Lost about 18 so far. Sleeved on 3/8. Pre op weight 231...

Can real muscle growth be achieved when on a post-op 650 calorie diet? I am just over three months post-op, have lost 74 lbs, 94 lbs total. I do strength training with a trainer three times a week and cardio five times a week. Because my target weight loss was 225 lbs, I am still on a diet of 600-650 calories, 100-125 grams of protein,15-20 grams of carbs and 15-20 grams of fat per day. During my weight loss, I have lost over 17 total inches but almost 40% of that is muscle loss. I am prone to stalls that last for two weeks. I work out extremely hard but am completely frustrated that I have no muscle growth to show for it. Any thoughts or suggestions are most welcome.

In two days I hit my three week mark, and I've noticed a stall also. I've gotten so used to dropping weight so fast (46 lbs so far) I got bummed but then realized I've hit the phase where it's going to drop less now I've already lost all the water weight. Just be patient and don't loose the good habits you've gained ????

This post helped me when I started to compare my story to others on this forum. I have reprinted it with permission from Cheri, the author. I hope this helps you stay positive. Please stop and do the math by Cheri People get completely freaked out by what I feel are unreasonable expectations. They fly into a panic. They assume that the first time they don't lose on the scale that their loss is done. They think that two weeks at one weight is a massive stall. They look at other people's large losses and forget that we don't all lose at the same rate. First - if you did a pre-op diet you are not going to have the same loss your first month as someone who didn't do one. Your pre-op loss should get counted into your loss calculation if you did a pre-op diet. Second - a stall is three weeks or more at the same weight with no fluctuation. Are you panicked after that? Well, my friend coops once spent twenty one MONTHS at the same weight. She finally broke through and never regained during that time, and even lost two sizes while not budging on the scale. Is it the miracle cure you may have been hoping for on the scale? No. But stalls are not the end of the world. They are certainly more normal that flying to goal in six weeks, I promise you. Third - losing anything more than a pound a week is good. Are you eating less than ever before? Yes. Does that guarantee you'll lose faster than ever before? No. I had two nine week stalls - no movement except upwards for my monthly cycle. I had months where I lost but only in the tenths of a pound. It's not normal to expect a big loss every time you step on the scale. It's setting yourself up for disappointment. Fourth - your pattern is your pattern. You can compare yourself to other people sleeved the same day or with the same stats but it doesn't matter. So much of this is individual. So if you're constantly seeking out other people and comparing your losses to theirs, you are eventually going to discourage and frustrate yourself. Fifth - are you closing in on goal? We all lose even more slowly the less weight we have to lose. So if you only have sixty pounds to lose but shed thirty in your first three months, please don't be hysterical because you're "only" losing a pound a week now that you're past the halfway point. It's normal. Stop. Breathe. Do the math. Adjust your expectations. This is not a race. You do not get a special award for reaching goal more quickly. Your surgery was not pointless or worthless if you manage to get to goal in two years instead of six months. The real goal is not losing the weight. It's keeping the weight off. That's real success - that's what we're here to do. It does not matter if you hit goal in nine months or two years - the real challenge and the real journey begins with maintenance. How quickly or slowly you lost does nothing to change the challenges you'll encounter there. I am not ranting at anyone in particular. I just feel that this is an issue that comes up constantly and it's actually pretty silly for people to fly into such a panic without really thinking. I've seen folks upset when they're logging losses of upwards of four pounds a week. Point to the diet that helped you accomplish that and was easy to maintain prior to surgery.

I am four weeks out. I made my husband hide my scale because it didnt move in four days and I freaked out. I googled and it seems lots of people talk about a three week stall. Did any else experience this? I am going to the gym 5 times a week and trying to get all my protien in. I am just not sure what to do?

. Hello fellow sleevers! It's Day 76,almost eleven weeks since my surgery and I have lost about 45 pounds. I went on vacation, had a few white wine spritzers, went out to eat sort of, well, all the time, and it was great. I came home two pounds lighter, so even with *extreme* inattention to any sort of caloric or nutritional rule ( except, of course, Protein first) the scale went down, not up. But for the most part, I've been in a serious stall for about two weeks. It makes sense. My calories are up. I am healing and getting used to real food, logical portions, and nourishing myself in general. Two weeks of happy time made me come home absolutely exhausted. I haven't really upped the exercise but I've still stuck to a schedule of swimming for an hour three times a week. My size eighteens are getting looser and my waist and hips are down an inch. Also, right after the vacation came a dental surgery which necessitated a short course of steroids. I was really pissed to find out about this because you know there is no way your body will part with an ounce of anything when you're on steroids. Then I got an allergic reaction to another medication and had to take Benedryl -- another weight gainer. So for about three weeks it's been pretty darn slow. But not at a standstill, and in the meantime my body is changing and growing a waist. I can't believe the jeans I'm wearing fit. Actually I can't believe the jeans I'm wearing *didn't* fit at one point. These things would not even go halfway up my thighs only a few short weeks ago. These were the *fattest* jeans I owned at one point and I'm just...amazed, then, at how fat I was. If I am fat *now*...good god, what did I look like? I took some reference pictures right before the surgery and then right after. I took another set last night but I'm not ready to put them up. I'm still fat, as I said...but holy mackerel, what a difference 45 pounds makes. My calories are up to about 1200. I keep thinking I should cut back a little bit but I feel good and I'm still losing. My goal when I decided to get surgery was to refuse to obsess, to eat normally to the best of my ability, eat what I want. and to enjoy my life instead of letting food and weight issues hold me back. . So. Almost eleven weeks, 45 pounds gone and still? Not dead.

Fat still has calories. Two ounces of turkey breast (100 calories) will carry you a lot farther than one tablespoon of Peanut Butter or an ounce of cheese. I find that that nuts are a major slider for me and it is easy to eat 1/2 cup of nuts without realizing I have consumed hundreds of calories. I still scramble my eggs with a teensy bit of real butter, but can't really afford the calories in coconut oil. Although my doctor would prefer that I eat more chicken and fish, I do cook one three-ounce steak a week. I have stalled out about fourteen pounds from goal, so I think I will hold off with peanut butter and cheese until I hit a maintenance weight that I am comfortable with.

I had my surgery one month ago. I lost like 22 pounds in two weeks, which didn't surprise me because I am a big girl but since I started on puréed foods in week three I haven't lost an ounce of weight. Is a two week stall normal in the first month. I am only eating two ounces of mushy proteins two times a day and my two protein shakes, between 400- 600 calories. Any suggestion? Should I go back to broths?

Hey guys, just wanted to give you an update.I'm 14 weeks post-op and down 54lb, and feeling wonderful.I am going to the gym three to four times a week, and currently going through a stall (tom).I eat about 800-1000 calories daily. Myfitnesspal is a great app I use to keep me accountable.I still haven't told anyone besides my family that I had surgery, I guess I am still not comfortable with anyone judging me about my decision.Oh well lol..Here are some pics This was the first month post-op pic This is the second month post-op pic This was some pics of last night Thanks

Sw 236 cw 203 about its common early on three weeks in remember you lost what 18 pounds in like 3 weeks its not easy to do that your body is in shock has to catch up i thought i would be at 190 by now but im not hopefully by may which is my bday there are gonna be plenty more of stalls like i said i have or had one for nearly three weeks i may lose or anyone of us can lose 7-8 pounds a month if you are a slow loser like me keep up the faith dont get upset just think by summer you will notice and get plenty of confidence at 236 i wasn't happy for myself at all i had surgery and im happy so people oppose it even my husband but this is for me i did it i am happy now tonite I am taking my state exam wish me luck please just keep your head up high

it's the infamous "three week stall". Almost all of us experience that. In fact, if you do a search on this site of the three week stall, you will find about 17,000 posts on it (and no, I am NOT kidding!). Just stick to your program and stay off the scale for a few days. It'll break and you'll be on your way again. It usually last a week or two - but for a few people (a minority) it last for three. And just so you're prepared, you're likely to hit a few of these on your journey. It's a common part of weight loss...

So I've read so much about the 3-4 week post-op stall, and foolishly I didn't think it would happen to me! Haha. I lost 32 pounds over the first three weeks and today was weighed at my doctor's and I've GAINED a pound. I was crushed. I know that it's normal especially since I began solid food a few days ago, and will resolve itself, but I guess I'd like to hear some experiences - how long was your stall and when did it/they occur? Did you do anything in particular to get out of it? Thanks!

Welcome to the site! Hang in there...i just came off an almost three week stall. They happen then they are gone and the weight begins to fall off again!!! Keep track of what you are eating to help stay the course and good luck!

DO NOT GET SO DOWN!! Both myself and my sister have had the sleeve. I am 8 months out and she is 11 months out. Both of us stopped losing around that same time and the scales did not move one pound for three weeks! I know this is discouraging and you think that you will be the only one in history that this has not worked for, but you are wrong. When you eat as little as we do with the sleeve, you WILL lose weight. There is no way around it. Your body has been thrown in to starvation mode so of course it panics and tries to hold out to get you through the crisis. Pretty soon, it can't hold out any more. I know it is easier said than done but try to quit worrying about the scale and keep right on going. This is for the rest of your life, not just a few weeks. This stall does not break or make you. I hope you started measureing at the beginning because that helps a lot when you see the inches still continuing to drop off even when the wt stalls. Pick yourself back up off the floor and get on with doing what you are supposed to. I PROMISE you, you will see the scales begin to move again shortly. [sharedmedia=trackers:tickers:6868]

I had the surgery on March 28th... I stalled not once, not twice but three times so far. I'm down 35 pounds so far, and am currently in my 4th stall. My body is in a routine of staying the same 1.5-2 weeks and then randomly dropping 5 pounds in one day, just to do it all over again. Its normal, just keep doing what your doing, stay positive, and the scale WILL move, I promise!!!!