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it's the infamous three-week stall. You just got it a little early. Almost everyone experiences that - if you do a search for it on this site, you'll find over 17,000 posts on it (and no, I am NOT kidding...). Mine was weeks 2 and 3. During week 4, it broke and I dropped something like 6-8 lbs in about two days. Just stick to your program and stay off the scale for a few days if you need to. It WILL break - they always do - and then you'll be on your way again.

Hi Dina and welcome. You came to the right place. I'm three weeks post op and was in a stall too. I realized I wasn't putting in enough walking so I have added an extra mile to my walk and I walk to the beat of my iPod and I have finally started losing again! Hooray!! I saw my doc yesterday and he told me to do the same. Our body is in shock and still trying to figure out what just happened. Stalls are normal. Just keep plugging away!! you're bound to lose!! Best of luck!

Well I have some restriction. Not a whole lot, but it is a start. I want to wait until I'm completely stalled before I schedule another fill. It seems like the only time I manage to lose weight is the week I'm on liquids after a fill. Although I must admit, that I only stayed on liquids for about three days. I had my measuring day at Curves a few days ago. I'd lost 20 lbs. since I joined and they were all asking me what was my secret. So I pulled up my shirt and showed 'em my scars. Then I erased my name off the "Brag Board" 'cuz I'd really rather people didn't keep bringing it up. It makes me feel very awkward. I've never been good at accepting compliments & praise. I'm really very self-deprecating. Most of the time. Here are my stats from the Curves measuring day: Bust 49 in. -3 in. Waist 47in. -4 in. Abdomen 52 in. -3 in. Hips 50 in. -3 in. Thighs 28 in. -2 in. Arms 16.5 in. -2 in. Body fat 42.6% -1.9% (for stats from my 1st. Curves measuring day, see entry #24)

Well I have some restriction. Not a whole lot, but it is a start. I want to wait until I'm completely stalled before I schedule another fill. It seems like the only time I manage to lose weight is the week I'm on liquids after a fill. Although I must admit, that I only stayed on liquids for about three days. I had my measuring day at Curves a few days ago. I'd lost 20 lbs. since I joined and they were all asking me what was my secret. So I pulled up my shirt and showed 'em my scars. Then I erased my name off the "Brag Board" 'cuz I'd really rather people didn't keep bringing it up. It makes me feel very awkward. I've never been good at accepting compliments & praise. I'm really very self-deprecating. Most of the time. Here are my stats from the Curves measuring day: Bust 49 in. -3 in. Waist 47in. -4 in. Abdomen 52 in. -3 in. Hips 50 in. -3 in. Thighs 28 in. -2 in. Arms 16.5 in. -2 in. Body fat 42.6% -1.9% (for stats from my 1st. Curves measuring day, see entry #24)

My "three week stall" started at two weeks and lasted almost 5 weeks even though I was exercising, getting protein, water, etc. And then I lost 15 lbs very quickly and the scale is still moving, just not quite as fast. Just give it time, it WILL happen if you follow the guidelines.

Yes, it is normal. None of us lose at a constant or steady rates. Stalls are a normal, natural, and necessary part of the process. You will experience stalls and most people experience their first stall at about three weeks after surgery. Embrace the Stall! http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

I'm a daily weigher.. but I don't worry about my daily or even weekly fluctuations... while I was on my 15 week preoperative VLCD I gained all the time.. on 800 calories a day. It's completely NORMAL.. I also stalled for nearly three weeks... also completely NORMAL. For a lot of people when you lose weight really fast while in ketosis, your body regains a bit because it may be re-establishing its glycogen stores. Nothing wrong with weighing in daily, but don't get bothered by fluctuations. Evaluate your weight loss on a MONTHLY basis... and even then remember that some months will be better than others.

I know many pre-op patients have questions about the process. Each one of us is different but I thought I'd share my experience around the surgery and recovery in case it is beneficial to anyone preparing to undergo VSG. Based on my BMI, my doctor put me on a one-week pre-op liquid Protein diet. This consisted of three Protein shakes a day and otherwise Clear liquids. The first couple of days were tough, but by day 3-4 my system had gotten over its carb withdrawal and I tolerated the diet fairly well. I also used this time to wean off of caffeine since my surgeon didn't allow any for 8 weeks post surgery. During the pre-op diet phase I dropped 8 pounts, from 285 to 277. On my surgery day, I arrived at the hospital fairly early. The nursing staff prepared me (IV, gown, support stockings, etc.) and I met briefly with the surgeon and anesthesiologist. I was wheeled into the very cold operating room. Shortly thereafter I was given the IV anesthetic and was fast asleep. I woke up in the recovery area. This was easily the most uncomfortable part of the process as I was coming out of general anesthesia, hooked up to everything and now had a wonderful (not!) urine catheter placed. As I came out of the fog, I remember trying unsuccessfully to negotiate with the nurse to remove the catheter as it was very uncomfortable. After 20-30 minutes in this area I was moved to a wheelchair (a surprisingly challenging endeavor) and was wheeled to my room. Once in the room the PCA pump was attached. This helped greatly with my comfort level. I was also allowed to start sucking on ice chips. I did experience some gas pains but they were manageable. The nursing staff got me up to walk within a couple of hours. My particular facility was absolutely wonderful. It is a small satellite surgery facility of a large hospital and is in the same building as the surgical practice. I think most of the patients are part of the weight loss surgery program. On my particular surgery day I think my nurse had two patients, so I was able to get as much attention as I needed. One key item they were monitoring was my blood sugar which was running low. This was surprising as prior to surgery I was a Type-II diabetic with a normal glucose of 115-120. They gave me IV glucose a couple of times and were monitoring it closely. I progressively felt better throughout the day and evening and walked a few more times. There wasn't much sleeping as it seemed like every 10 minutes someone was in the room to do something. The day shift nurse had been bringing me ice chips in a small medicine cup. The night shift nurse brought a large cup of them with a spoon (what an angel!) By about 3am I was able to get myself out of bed and move to a nearby chair, managing all of the lines and connections carefully. I found that the more mobile I was the better I felt. At 5am I was told that we needed to begin preparing for my discharge. This involved giving me a glass of ice Water which I sipped on. It also involved removal of the catheter and the surgical drain, both of which were momentarily painful. I did feel better after that though. One more walk, a visit from the surgeon and his assistant, and I was discharged a little more than 24 hours after arrival. We stopped at the downstairs pharmacy for the liquid narcotic pain medication. At home, day 1 post-op involved mostly sleeping and relaxing. I had to sleep in a recliner for a couple of days to limit suture pain. I used the narcotic pain med a couple times that day. I began sipping and walking, encountering a little pain but nothing unbearable. By day 2 post-op I was feeling much better. On day 2 I stopped the narcotic pain meds and switched to liquid Tylenol. I had been told I could drive as soon as I was off the narcotics, so switching to liquid Tylenol meant I wasn't tied to the house. By that evening I felt well enough to drive myself to a meeting of an organization I'm involved with. Moving slowly but without much pain, it was nice to get out a little. I noticed I had real challenges with capacity of my new stomach for the first couple of days. It seemed like it would only hold a couple of sips or maybe a teaspoon of broth. On day 3 this got better, and by day 4 I was able to drink liquids and even broth and Soup without much restriction. I think this was the post-op swelling going down a little. My surgery was on a Tuesday and I came home Wednesday morning. My first venture out was Thursday evening. I returned to work the following Monday without any real issues but I have a fairly sedentary office job. I have to say that my recovery was quicker than I expected with relatively few issues and no complications. I know this isn't the rule for everyone. I think it helped that despite weight and Type-II Diabetes I was in generally good physical condition which probably made things easier. I'm now about 10 weeks post surgery. I successfully transitioned diet from liquid to pureed to soft foods and then to regular foods. I've experienced two stalls (one early and one now). I've dropped two shirt and pant sizes and am almost ready for a third. I'm still learning how to manage my weight loss and diet while traveling extensively for business. I have yet to get locked into an aggressive exercise regimen but am trying to do so. But overall this has been a totally positive experience and a decision I am 100% happy with.

Shopping at Sinking Boats 'R' Us again? When did you last average five pounds per week or, if we subtract the three-week stall, eight?

For the first few weeks your body is in a major heal mode and it takes a little time for things to kick off. During the hospital it is common to gain some weight because they fill your body with fluids and it takes a little time to loose this new weight. It is also common to hit stalls. The three most important elements after RNY surgery it to meet the daily requirements for fluids, Vitamins and Protein. Also walk for 30 minutes per day. So be a little patient, follow the requirements and let the magic happen.

I am seriously considering the lapband surgery because of my struggles with my weight my entire life. I am trying to get my ducks in a row now so that when I decide to move forward with the surgery and pursue it, I know what will be expected. I have been reading on the BCBS of AL website about the bariatric surgery requirements. One says that you have to be at their required BMI for a 3 year period. Well...I have been overweight since I was married in 2001 and even throughout my teenage years (except when I went on WW at 15 yrs old only to gain it all back and more) but in Sept. 07 I began a strict diet of 1300 calories and exercise that just about killed me but I lost 20lbs and got to the 200lb mark. After that I stalled and couldn't lose a thing so I began a doctor supervised weight loss program that included the low cal/low carb/low fat diet and adipex (phentermine) and lost another 25 lbs putting me at 175lbs in Sept. 08. In November 08, I wound up in the ER due to atrial fibrillation and it was suspected that the adipex was the issue. So, I stopped it and of course the weight began to creep back up to around 190lb when in August 09 I found out I was pregnant. Unfortunately, the baby passed away and I miscarried at 15 weeks. At that time I was up to 210lbs. Now, I am at 215 and cannot seem to get my weight to budge. I am tired of the yo-yo dieting and really want to change the whole situation. I am afraid that having done all the dieting a few years ago may mess up my chances of moving forward in the next 6-12 months w/ bariatric surgery b/c of the "three years of obesity" required by my insurance company. None of the diets that I lost the weight on was covered by my insurance and I paid out of pocket for this the entire time. Does this period in my life have to be reported to the insurance company? How do they "document" that I have been obese for 3 years? I rarely go to the doctor other than my OBGYN for my yearly check b/c I am never sick. What records will they pull??? I am hoping (probably to no avail) that maybe these months of being a lower weight might not have to be included in documentation. I should also tell you that I have documented severe sleep apnea if that helps! Any advice??? Thanks in advance! Leigh:smile:

Lovey - I am so happy your stall has broken! Mine is seven days strong, and as a matter of fact, I have gained a pound and a half... so three weeks post surgery I have lost..... wait for it............eight pounds....

Try some electrolyte drinks. I found the added energy boost got me through. I had poor concentration too - my head was very doughy some days but that was complicated by my low blood pressure. Are there specific foods that make you feel unwell or is it basically everything? Your tummy can be fussy for a while & something you eat today without an issue can make you unwell the next. It will pass. Are you eating slowly? I know that can be hard at work but it is important so as not to put pressure on your tummy. You may need to eat a little more especially as a tall, very active male. Have a chat with your nutritionalist & surgeon. Periods of not losing weight, stalls, are common we say the first one happens at three weeks but it can be earlier or later & they can persist for one to three weeks.

It sounds like you got hit with a double whammy - the dreaded week three stall and your period. Relax, there is nothing you can do about it. Stick to your plan, hide the scale, and drink more Water if you can. I just went through this about 2-3 weeks ago. The scale has started moving for me again, not quite as fast though.

I've got a question for the vets, did you find it was tougher to stay on plan or lose weight in the winter? I'm thinking I'm fighting evolution. I was losing pretty steady and the only stall I've hit was at three weeks, none since so it might just be a stall. With poor weather I can't get out for walks as often and I'm not very dedicated to exercise. What do you think, I'd appreciate your thoughts.

I was sleeved Dec. 1st. Exactly like you first week I lost 11 lbs. I'm in the first day of my second week, and I seemed to have stalled already. I did so a little cheating, I ate some refried Beans the 4th day, mashed potatoes the 5 day, and a few crackers the 6th day. I haven't been drinking that much water, but I have had some sugar free juices, and lite juices. I'm afraid the lite juices my have too much sugar in them. I've only walked 3 days out of 7 outside, but I did walk over a mile all three times. And rain kept me from walking the other 2 days. I took it easy the first 2 days. Dunno what the deal is..maybe cheating did it for me. But don't sound like you did at all. I wish I knew. Maybe some of our sisters will tell us what we are doing wrong. Judy:001_huh:

This too shall pass. My doc told me it would happen in week three and it would last 1-2 weeks. It lasted 12 Looooonnnnngggg days, but then the stall broke. My doc says it's just the body's way of adjusting. AniO

It REALLY varies from person to person. You are doing FANTASTIC! If you want to know how you are doing, weigh it against yourself (it will help you remain sane). Always figure out how many pounds you've lost divided by the number of weeks that it took you to lose them. Medically speaking 1/2-2 pounds per week is spot-on. If you beat that due to this surgery - rejoice! If you make it - rejoice! And when you stall for a week (or two or three) - rejoice (knowing for once it doesn't mean you failed and will "quit" this diet - it will be short lived). Welcome to the loser's bench and keep up the great work!

I am 39 days out. I am just coming off a 10 days stall where I gained 2 pounds. The most calories that I can take in is 750 but normally I sit around 600-700 calories. Make sure as others have posted that you are drinking your 64 ounces or more of water. I am vigilant to make sure I get this amount in daily or more. Your stall will break I really feel your pain. I also lost really quickly weeks two and three, 21 pounds, I will bet this is why I went into a stall too.

I was down about 32lb the first month, starting at 292 & BMI around 42. I'm now down about 100 at seven months and just about at goal (we'll see how the body comp settles out - that's the actual goal.) Whether you stall or not at the typical three week mark, your loss will slow markedly at that point. Initially you are burning mostly glycogen (some stored carb and protein) which burns at a rate of around 2000cal per pound. Once those stores are consumed, you actually start burning the fat that we are trying to lose, but it comes off slower, at around 3600cal per pound. I never had the dreaded three week stall, but the loss curve sure flattened out some right at that time.

Yes I am three and a half weeks out and stalled too. Am doing everything I should. Feeling great and exercising every day but no movement on those scales. I do am hoping it will move again soon

Did you stall after three weeks of losing or at the start of your third week?

I hit my first stall between week 2 and three. It lasted about a week, and was annoying. I wasn't able to do much exercise other than walking, and I was only taking in 400-600 calories daily. Once I made the transition to soft foods, and therefore a few more daily calories, the weight started marching off again. Now, at eight weeks, I've been stalled for the past week. I'm between 700-800 calories a day (no possible way to take in more, because I physically can not eat more.) I get about 10k steps daily (that's a mix of cycling and walking, but since Fitbit measures everything in steps, that's what I measure with. I cycle for 30-60 minutes four or five days a week, the rest of it's straight walking). My off days, I still hit around 6k steps. And I lift light weights three days a week. So I'm hitting the calories, hitting the exercise. I know stalls happen, and I know how frustrating it is. Especially when I do measurements too, but they also don't seem to be moving =P But I fit into size 18 clothes yesterday, so I know something is shifting somewhere. I haven't worn size 18 in nearly 20 years. I've been in all 22-24s. So that's a big plus. Bigger plus: the 18s I bought aren't tight. I could probably have dropped down to a 16, but I was a little wary of going too far down. I'm not really meaning to complain. I've lost enough that I'm feeling better than I have in years, I'm more active than I've been in years, I'm sleeping better, off most of my meds, so I have nothing to actually complain about. Other than those stubborn, stubborn scales.

The stalls SUCK! Just got out of a three week stall myself, and nothing anyone said really made me feel better

My 'three week stall' hit at 2.5 weeks and didn't lose an ounce- the scale actually went up twice- for 2 weeks. Then I dropped 5lbs over night. Just try and keep your protein high and keep your fluid intake up and the scale will go. BTW- I had lost 26lbs when mine hit and I'm currently in another stall and have been since Christmas. It sucks- but it's all part of the process