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Ditto, three week stall, it's your body adjusting to all the changes. Mine lasted 2 weeks, but haven't hit any since.

Hello kteacher, I was doing just fine until Dec.23. I woke up with some chest pains that continued throughout that day and I could not get to sleep. I called 911 at 3:30AM on Dec.24 and had to go to the ER. I was concerned about my heart or a blood clot in my lungs. They took some blood tests and one (D-DIMAR) came back positive so they had to do a CT skan. My heart test all came back OK and there was NO blood clot in my lungs. But they did find a large Hematoma on my spleen. I had to stay in the hospital until christmas day about noon. They said it could be causing the pain in my chest area. The spleen could have been bumped and bruised during surgery, but I am going to be ok as far as I know. It will be absorbed by the body. The only time it usually causes problems is when it is infected or if it bursts inside the body. The doctor said that it doesn't appear to be infected. I had plans to leave on christmas day, to go out of state to visit family for Christmas. I ask the surgeon if it was OK to travel and he said it would be OK. So I went to visit Family and I just now arrived back home from the visit. Other than that, I am doing Ok. I am on my three week stall or either things got messed up from me being in the hospital. Dr. Husted told me that I would only have 1 incision instead of 5. I found out that I was the 2nd patient that he had performed the one incision surgery on. You must have been his first one because you had surgery on 11/20 and I had surgery on Dec.2. I am so thankful that I only had one that had to heal. I do not regret having had the sleeve done. I am hoping that after this stall, I will get back to losing so I will be on my way to my goal weight. I hope that you had a Merry Christmas and that you are doing ok from your surgery. I only have lost 16 pounds since Dec.2. I am going to go back to the Y soon so that it will help to burn some calories. I went to the support group on Dec.14 and I hope I get to go in Jan. I hope to meet you at one of the support group meetings. I will be posting more in a few days after I rest up from my trip. Thank you for your reply and have a nice day!!

I am feeling great! I know it's still early in the post-op phase, but I still haven't found a reason to be anything but grateful for my VSG. I am healing well and wearing jeans again. I have been a little crazy with the scale hoping for a huge weight loss number. I think 22.5 pounds is a pretty good start! I am thinking I am about to hit the dreadful three week stall and not looking forward to it, but I think I have made my mind up to stay away from the scale and maybe do a little measuring. I don't have to be ONE with the scale all the time!!! RIGHT? Actually, I am now down 23.4 pounds since my surgery date and that is working with me! I have started my work out schedule and actually have enjoyed getting up and working out (mildly). I am still a little slow on the walking, no brisk, fast paced, hard core walking yet, but I know that will come in time! I think I am most happiest about finally being able to eat again (chew, chew, chew) and not having to sip my meals! That sure was hard, but looking back, it seemed time went so fast! I wish anyone thinking about one of the surgeries, doing one of the surgeries, or has already done one of the surgeries the best of luck in every aspect of this great life! twenty15

Google "three week stall." That is what is happening. Just stick to your plan and the weight will come off. Nothing about post-op weight loss is linear. It is full of periods of loss, followed by longer periods of stall. That is just part of the process. Also, it is slow. I started my six month insurance-required diet program at 397 pounds, and weighed 298 pounds on surgery day. Even at that size, my loss in the first four weeks post-op was far from "dramatic." But I have followed my plan religiously every single day, kept my carbs below 20 every single day, tracked everything I put in my body every single day, and even with the countless stalls, I have lost 205 pounds and am 12 pounds from goal at 9 months post-op. Put the scale away if it bothers you and keep focused on what is important. Good luck!

Also, for the constipation: it's totally normal. Try taking Miralax (doesn't work right away, needs to be taken basically every day) or if you haven't gone in a long time, use a laxative suppository (not to be taken too often). Talk to your surgery center to make sure these are okay. I find the miralax works way better than stool softeners or senna. You will not normally go every day after surgery because you are taking in less food and fiber. My surgery center said to make sure I'm getting enough liquid and moving around enough. However, I'm doing both of these things and I'm still only having a BM twice a week. And, as @catwoman7 mentioned, the three week stall is infamous. I am basically there right now. This too shall pass!

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.

Take your vitamins and KEEP weighing. It is very good to know where you are at in case you need to adjust your routine(Like in this case). Keep drinking your water and the weight will move. During my three week stall I gained 3 pounds and thought WTF!! I now stick to 600-700 calories and low carb, woohoo!! Keep going, no worries, you can do this!!

Very typical. It's called the three week stall, the average time people experience their first weight loss stall. You need to eat more calories though.

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

Google three week stall. This happens to everyone. Focus on following your plan and continuing to change your relationship with food. The weight will come off in its own time. Remember this journey is a marathon -- not a sprint.

This is something with a two part answer. The first is that, on average, we will be slowing down continually as we lose, simply because it takes fewer calories to move ourselves around all day at 300 lb as it did at 400 lb, and even fewer at 200 lb, etc. We will likely see stair steps, and some weeks or months will be lower or higher than others, but the overall trend is declining. The second part is that we will usually experience a big drop the first couple of weeks or so (and then typically get the dreaded "three week stall") and the proceed lower at a somewhat reduced rate. This is because our initial loss it mostly water weight associated with burning off our short term energy reserves of glycogen (basically stored carbohydrate) which gives us the "easy ten" lb that we typically lose when we start seriously dieting. After the glycogen is used up, we start to draw from our fat reserves, though there is often a pause or stall as the body changes gears.

I have heard of three week stall but I am coming up on two weeks and havnt lost anything so it scares me to stall in 3rd week. I have lost zero since coming home from hospital. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

first week is from the IV fluids they gave you in the hospital. Some people gain as much as 10 lbs from that (I can't remember how much I "gained" - maybe 4 or 5 lbs). It can take up to a week for it to work its way out. Also, almost everyone has their first stall within the first 4-6 weeks after surgery. It's usually the third week (thus, the "three-week stall"), but not always. Mine was weeks 2 & 3. During week 4, it broke and I dropped like 6-8 lbs practically overnight.

do a search on the "three week stall". Happens to almost everyone. Stick to your plan and the stall will eventually break. I promise.

Its called the week three stall -- or the three week stall. I've seen it both ways! Its normal/common. It generally happens between weeks 2 and 4. I'm on day #10 myself.

Hi Maddie, A three week stall is a long time. I know you're frustrated! You're just now six weeks out, so you are starting on 'everything'. Carbs can bring you to a halt fast depending on what you are eating. To kick start a plateau, I'd always up my Protein and Water, do a little exercise and it worked like a charm every time. Protein for me was normally 60 - 65 and I'd go to 70 - 80. My calories when I was where you are were between 500 and 650 per day...and I did good to get that much in. During my losing period I averaged 675 per day. I had great restriction, I still do. I call cottage cheese, the Breakfast of champions, I love it. 1% of course. Eggs; steamed shrimp (i keep a bag on hand for lunch), tuna, I measure 2 TB of lite mayo for a can; whatever meat you want at night; stay away from bread, rice, Pasta, all sweets, nothing until you reach goal; chips; if it's in a bag or a box....chances are, you shouldn't have it!!! The exception, Special K Crackers, a few with tuna rather than bread are ok - recommended by my dietitian. They even have a little Fiber. I have two glasses of skim milk per day. I get liquid and 16 grams of protein, killing two birds with one stone, so to speak!! Greek yogurt, the plain, has TONS of protein in it, add Stivia or some other artificial sweetener to it, or sugar free jelly....a little fruit, be creative, just nothing you shouldn't. Great source of protein. I hope these suggestions help!!! Three weeks is a long time, you can overcome this, I promise you!!! Good luck, this tool works, just work with it!!! Also, I still weight and measure EVERYTHING....and keep an on line food log, it's good to know exactly how much you are eating and to keep track of your protein and calories!!! Just a suggestion!!

I just got over my three week stall and Liz is right, the scale wasn't moving but I was losing inches. I am glad for the stall cause I was a little scared losing two pounds a day. Congrats on your 53lbs. I can't wait to say the same, I am at week 4.

You are just in the "three week stall." Google it and you'll find lots of information. Your body is healing right now, and you won't likely get an accurate weight in the first month. You just need to keep meeting your protein and water goals each day, and stay off the scale if it is going to upset you. The weight will start to come off again soon, but it won't be linear, and will often be quite erratic. Good luck!

I just hot the three week stall. I'm down 29 lbs and couldn't wait to say I am down 30! Well, that may not happen right away. But I am so relieved to know that a "3 week stall" is actually a thing that others go through too. If I didn't know about this ahead of time I'm sure I would be really hard on myself...and I don't want that kind of negativity when I'm working so hard at this!

do a search on this site for the "three week stall". I can pretty much guarantee you'll find hundreds of postings on it

Sounds like you are in the three week stall that lot of people experience for up to two to three weeks. As we go through the food stages and probably increase our calorie intake a little, our bodies take time to adjust. If you are concerned speak to your dietician, make sure you are keeping a food journal and are eating the food volumes and type of foods in your guidelines. Also make sure you are getting sufficient non calorie fluids. Keep calm, it will come.

Yep, it's the dreaded three week stall, which commonly occurs 2-3 weeks after the start of most any serious weight loss effort. This article http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.html provides a great explanation of what's happening and why. You will also probably notice that after you break this initial stall, that your weight loss will be somewhat slower as well - and this really is good news. The initial weight loss comes from your quick access energy reserves of glycogen (basically carbs,) which burn at a rate of around 2000 calories per pound, while your longer term energy reserves of fat that you will be drawing from after the glycogen stores are depleted, burn at a slower rate of around 3500 calories per pound - but it's the fat that we're trying to get rid of so that slowdown means that we're really doing what we are here to do! I never really stalled at this point, or any other for that matter, possibly because I never went seriously low carb on my diet as many do, so I never went as seriously into the glycogen deprevation mode as some (tho that is somewhat speculative,) but my loss certainly slowed down at that three week mark. Good luck and happy losing!

OHHHH dear one- the conversations we've had today on this forum about stalls!!! I am in one as well. Mine started at...guess when....three weeks!!! Yes, it's referred to around here as the "three week stall." I found a great explanation for it today from one of our seasoned sleevers. Check it out: (This was a post on another thread by "Tiffykins.") This is why you are in a stall. It's normal and expected. Your body will never go into a stall as long as you have body fat to burn: Weight Loss Stall or Plateau A weight loss stall or plateau is an extended period of time during reducing efforts where is there is no weight loss according to the scale and no loss of inches according to the tape measure. This is why it is so important to take your body measurements before surgery, so you'll have a reference as your weight loss progresses post-op. We suggest you take measurements of your chest, waist and hip, neck, upper arm, thigh and calf. Be aware it is very common for your weight loss to "stall" shortly after surgery. Diana explains the reason for this below. The Inevitable Stall By Diana C. A "stall" a few weeks out is inevitable, and here's why. Our bodies use glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, but it is stored in our muscles for quick energy -- one pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs of Water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when you are not getting in enough food, your body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. And when you use up 2 lbs of glycogen, you also lose 8 lbs of water that was used to store it -- voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs that most people lose in the first week of a diet. As you stay in caloric deficit, however, your body starts to realize that this is not a short term problem. You start mobilizing fat from your adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But your body also realizes that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy -- like, to outrun a saber tooth tiger. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. And as it puts back the 2 lbs of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though you might still be LOSING energy content to your body, your weight will not go down or you might even GAIN for a while as you retain water to dissolve the glycogen that is being reformed and stored. Breathe, and fuggedaboudit for a few days. What You Can Do About a Stall or Plateau If you are experiencing a post-op weight loss stall or plateau further out there are a few possible causes. First, check that are you really in a stall. If the scale has stopped moving you may be losing inches, so check your measurements. Too Many Carbs? Carbohydrates can start sneaking into your foods without you being aware of how quickly they are adding up. For more information on carbs, see our section onCarbohydrates. If you are struggling with your weight loss you may want to examine your daily carb count. You can try to keep your carbs under 50g a day and see if that makes a difference in your weight loss. Do not eat carbs before bedtime as it triggers insulin and initiates fat storage. There are some great web site resources you can use to keep track of what you are eating.

Search three week stall. Tons of people have gone through the same thing. Also losing a lot of weight in a short amount of time kind of shocks the body. It does need time to adjust. Are you measuring? While weight might slow or stall from time to time, you could be losing inches.

The three week stall is so common. I am sure there are threads on this forum and others devoted to nothing else. I did not have it (and I was expecting to), but based on what I have seen, I might be in the minority. Folks say to simply stay on track with your program and it will break. You are so early post-op it is not anything anything you did or didn't do. It is your body adjusting.