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I lost 30 lbs the first three weeks after surgery, coming down from near 300 lbs. Now I have gained a pound in my 4th week. I heard this may be normal, but I feel maybe I need to buckle down even tighter on my eating, not sure. If this is true, how long did it last for you? When did you start to lose weight again?

Tell me your 6/7 week stats and what you're eating/ate! Would love to know. I'm in a stall right now. I've been in a stall for a while. I'm doing okay though! SW: 264.4 CW: 231 I'm tolerating everything fine. Can really feel restriction now to an extent. I wasn't the first 4 weeks which scared me. I'm tolerating all foods and trying all allowed foods. Which is everything right now. Minus the obvious. Today I went to taco Mac. Got three roasted wings down. Was stuffed as a goose. Crazy I used to eat 10! Tell me about where you were/are at 6/7 weeks post op Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I have read tons of posts about stalls and thought I was mentally prepared for the infamous "three week stall". Despite all that, when it happened to me, I got a little down. It's so frustrating to be eating so little and not lose any. ***just venting***. :-)

I don't know because I only weighed at my doctor's appointments. Stalls are a natural, necessary, and normal part of the process. The first, most predictable stall usually comes about week three. Embrace the Stall! http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

Me! In January my surgeon told me I had to lose 10 pounds before I could have the surgery. But he agreed to schedule me for it with the understanding I would work on it. Well, I was waiting for my surgery date and I really struggled. I lost the same five pounds like three times and still didn't have a date. When I finally got my date (which is May 22) in late March I realized I had to get serious because I knew that if I showed up at my pre op not having lost the ten pounds after having FIVE MONTHS to do it there was no way he'd move forward. So I have been trying my absolute best the last few weeks and I've managed to drop eight of the ten pounds. So I have about three more weeks to lose the last two. Doable! I've been drinking mostly shakes or protein soups with a dinner of lean protein and veggies about like every other night--LOTS of water--and it's basically been working. My thing in the past has been to give up when I hit the tiniest stall or plateau but not this time, I managed to mostly stick to it despite being frustrated and the scale was not moving and lo and behold yesterday I just dropped two more pounds after being stuck for like a week. I would say just don't quit and lose as much as you can in the time you have. Hopefully if you can show progress your doc will look favorably on you. You can do it!!!!

It's the week three stall! Almost universal! Do a search for it here and relax it passes :-)

Just wanted to share my story so far. I had my 1 week appointment at the Dr.s today. I had my surgery last Thursday 4/14. It has been an easy recovery for me. I was out of the hospital the next afternoon, Friday. On Saturday, I had promised to dogsit and went to walk dogs three times. I also grocery shopped. Sunday was two more walks and some errands. I have been out every day since. I have been doing doing some walks with my husband and yesterday we did almost three miles. The doctor said everything looked great. I am down 18 pounds, 10 since the surgery and 8 from my five day pre-op liquid diet. My starting weight was 237 and I am 5'7" tall. I can't see or feel any difference in my body yet though. Getting the Protein in is tough. I do not like the shakes but have been able to tolerate the Isopure drinks which is a big help since a 20oz bottle has 40 grams of protein. I usually get my 64 ounces of Water in and am getting about 60 grams of protein. I am averaging around 400-500 calories a day. My eating plan was nothing at all the afternoon/ evening after surgery, then 2 days of Clear liquids followed by 12 days of full liquids. Next is 2 weeks of purée and then 2 weeks of softs. Full diet taken slowly starting 6 weeks after surgery. 7 more days until pureed food which I am looking forward to - only to try and get more protein through food. I'm not hungry and making meals for my family hasn't bothered me. I am dreading the thought of an upcoming stall. I am also fearing losing my hair as it is super thin to begin with. I am off pain meds and have been able to sleep on my side since the second night. My only problems are slight nausea here and there, but not bad enough to have to take the meds they gave me, and diarhea. I was also lucky as my surgeon did not put in drains. My other issue is that i had the top of my hand turn black and blue, but it was not the hand that had the IV. I know others have had more issues after their surgery and I feel bad as I read their posts. I just wanted to share my experiences so far. Please excuse any typos as I am typing this on my phone and it won't let me go back and reread or edit. Good luck to all the upcoming surgeries!

I do the same thing. I'm ten weeks out and just hit 40 pounds. But I have been pretty steady so that's a blessing. You are doing well so far. The stall at two to three weeks out is pretty normal. You body has been so shocked it rebells for a while. It's hard for us to not compare ourselves to others but we each have our own journey. Just follow drs orders and you will be fine. And we are here for you. Good luck!!

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.

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.

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!

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.

Don't be frightened, Lala. We all get the jitters as the date approaches. I had a lot going on in my life approaching my surgery date - so I pushed it back by three weeks and went on holiday to get some sunshine and reflect. The time gave me the space I needed to weigh up all the pros and cons. On reflection, the pros dwarfed any cons I could identify. Nearly 6 months out and apart from the stall frustration - I am a very happy camper. I suggest you write yourself your own list of pros and cons and see where that takes you. You might be in for a surprise. The best of luck with whatever you decide

Okay, I'm actually a little over three months out now. My surgery was 15 July with Dr. Aceves. I was down 45 pounds at my 3 month mark. My starting weight was 242 pounds and I'm 5'1" and change. I started in an uncomfortably tight 18/20 and I'm now wearing loose 16s. The 14s are still uncomfortably tight, but I'll be in them by next month. My shirts were XXL and XL and are now L. No more Xs on my shirts! I've lost a bra size (both band and cup) and I'm finally able to wear my wedding band again. My shoes went up half a size when I went over 220 pounds, and now all of the shoes I bought are too loose and slip off my feet. I stall every month, twice a month. I lose about 15 pounds a month but I lose those pounds in two and a half weeks. I'm a type 2 diabetic and I'm insulin resistant, and my weight loss is "slow" compared to a lot of people sleeved at the same time. It's normal for me to stall for ten days and then drop six pounds in the next four days. Milk is not my friend. After a lot of work to pinpoint what was causing my digestive issues, the answer is MILK. Even lactaid upsets my stomach. My Protein shake, cottage cheese and plain yogurt do the same to a much lesser degree. I was looking for alternative and my doctor suggested goat or sheep milk, saying that they don't have lactose. I'd switch to almond milk or soy milk (if I could tolerate the taste!) but I'm about to move to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and I wanted to go with an alternate I could find once we move. Goats and sheep abound in Tashkent, but soy milk and almond milk do not! The great news is that goat milk isn't too bad once you get used to the aftertaste. At first it felt like I was drinking milk while munching on chevre. Since switching a few days ago, I've been able to drink my Protein shakes with only minor intestinal distress. I've also broken through a two week stall and lost 2 pounds, so things are moving again. I am losing hair. Not too much yet, but there is definitely more hair on my shirts and in the drain catcher. I've been taking Biotin (5000 mcg) since preop and I get all of my Vitamins in - I think the newly increased loss is due to my lower protein intake. While I was unable to drink my shakes I wasn't getting enough protein. I hope that I'll be able to pull through this without too much additional loss. My diabetes is well under control with just diet and exercise. I sleep better and longer than I did before surgery. I'm also more energetic and move a lot more than I used to, without getting sore or tired. Sometimes I don't see much of a change, but then I'll see a picture of me from this summer flip by on our screensaver and realize that I've come a long way already. My face is definitely thinner, and I only have a little more to lose before that dreaded double chin is completely gone. I have no regrets and would have this surgery again in a heartbeat. I wish I lost a little faster, but even at this slow rate, I'll be at goal by spring. ~Cheri

This is major surgery and the normal post surgery conditions will apply. Gas, sore throat, incision pain and stomach distress. I was very fatigued for several weeks as a result of the surgery and decreased caloric intake. Many people refuse pain medication but not me. I took it as directed and stayed agead of the pain and experienced very little discomfort. Your stomach will be very swollen for several weeks and uncomfortable. Sip very very slowly and wait between sips. You may feel some pain in your chest when you drink. Wait for it to pass. I found warm chicken broth the easiest to tolerate that first week. I did not stress out about meeting the fluid and protein requirements and just did the best I could. Three months out I still don't meet the recommended fluids but get close. The first week I was hormonal and doubted my decision but that passed in several days. I'm not going to lie. The 1st month is tough. Three months out I am 52 lbs down and feel great. A stall will happen but stay on course bc it will pass. It is all normal. The weight will not magically fall off 48 hrs after surgery. At this point I lose about half a lb daily and weigh twice a week. I am 67 yrs old and this surgery will extend my life. That was my purpose. Relax and just ride it out. The journey is worth it. Best of luck.

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!

Hey Dani, Try not to feel disheartened! I know it is diffcult. I am well known for my stalls...lol... and am currently in the middle of a LONG one, but I am not gaining so I am relatively happy! It will pass, at three weeks out concentrate on feel 'well'. Remember that your body is still adjusting and is probably wondering what the hell has happened. Your stall will pass and you will lose weight. Chin up and let us know how you get on... =]

In my first month I went from 300 to 250lbs. Once I finally made it past the three week (everything makes me sick phase)… I actilually began eating a little later than recommended because I couldn’t keep anything down. I’m now 1 1/2 months post op… I’ve finally gained my energy back and am working out but I not only stalled but gained 3 lbs my mom feels like I shouldn’t get down about it or obsess about it but has this happened to anyone else?

First off sleeved June 15, 2015 Starting weight:265 Surgery weight:240 Today's weight:191 I had just a few problems after surgery with getting sick. Recovery was good and I was on smashed foods when I was released from the hospital. I was eating a spoonful of refried Beans with cheese and sour cream for about a week and half then added other foods as tolerated. I had trouble finding a Protein shake I liked after surgery and have finally found one that I can handled. I take my Vitamins and stool softener at night. I forget my Calcium all the time:( I just had my blood draw and everything came back in the normal range. When I was about 6 weeks out I hit a stall.....I stayed the same weight for about 3 weeks. I got very frustrated and I changed everything up. I added 10 mins to the treadmill(45 mins total), stationary bike for 20 mins and then started some leg exercises as my tummy was still a little sore. I upped my calories a little and would do treadmill and bike everyday, legs every other day. Then I would drink my Protein Shake right after I worked out. I would eat about an hour before I worked out. I changed what I was eating to only protein and did this for about a week. It helped a little. I have hit several stalls since then and tried all these things since and they haven't helped. I go a week or some and not lose then lose a few pounds. I might gain and then lose, I have been hovering at 191.5-189 for three weeks now and I can not seem to break this. I think that if you keep doing what your suppose to do your body will eventually realize and the scales will move again. My best advise is clean out the pantry and fridge. Get rid of any and all temptations and find a Protein Bar and Protein Drink to use after workouts/when your starving and that will help with the cravings your having if you are. Good luck and enjoy the ride. Sometimes the stalls help you realize where you have come from, and let's your mind caught up with your body changes!!

I had 2 stalls...One at 3 weeks, and one at 6 weeks. Each time, I slowly increased my calorie count, and the stall broke. I am at 850-1,000 calories now and losing about 2-3 pounds per week on average. Stalls suck, I know. However, this is a chance for your body to catch up with all of the physical and hormonal changes you have gone through. Keep doing what you are doing and the stall will eventually break. In the meantime, you should still be losing inches. Also, stay off of the scale if it helps. That evil thing has caused me to binge on many occasions pre-surgery. Two or three weeks of staying the same weight or gaining weight can reek havoc on your mindset. Stay strong my friends.

that lovely three week stall that lasts sometimes 2-4 weeks. that scale will move....dont worry! you will get there! stay possitive

This happened to me and I got SO upset, I thought I was doing everything wrong. Don't stress, try to walk, and enjoy the foods you can eat--as long as you follow all the reccomendations, you're doing everything right and it WILL come off. I was stalled for almost two weeks and then I lost another three pounds quickly and easily. It will happen!

I love how simple things are such great accomplishments! Congrats on your towel covering up all of you! That's awesome. I'm waiting to see if I will have a three week stall (I'm at 2 weeks tomorrow post op). If there is a stall, your post has relieved me. Thank you!

The stall arrived 3 weeks ago. I knew it'd come sometimes around the third month and it did at -25 kgs (or 55 lbs). I wasn't that happy, I wasn't sure what advice I should follow. And I basically didn't do much, apart from increasing my daily water. Today the scale was down 1 kg or 2.2 lbs, not much, but still. You just have to believe it will move again, because it will. And I can actually see amazing advantages coming from my stall: first of all my skin. It was going so fluffy I hated it but in the last three weeks it tightened and now it looks almost OK. People started noticing my weight loss. It's amazing how they didn't notice much while I was losing and now they keep asking me daily how much more I have lost (which is basically nothing!). My hair has a break too I haven't started losing it yet and I honestly hope this stall will avoid the fall. We'll see. Another thing I did is... relax. In the last 10 days I didn't stress over my non-weight loss. I was like "Whatever. At some point the scale will move again" and it did. I relaxed, kept going to the gym but no more often than before, I kept having my 2 days a week without carbs, I just went on with my life. I am really happy now because I feel good and my skin looks much better. I just wanted to share my experience, because it was a positive one even if it involved a stall!

Here is a letter I wrote to my health insurance to explain my situation. They told me that even though I was a perfect candidate for the lapband, they would not cover it. Nor would they cover ANY proceedure, medication, therapy, doctor's visit to discuss weightloss, gym membership. I borrowed the money and I had the band in July. At this time last year, I weighed 380. I now weigh 315! Maybe this can help someone.... Obesity is affecting my life in the following ways: Physically Hypertension My blood pressure continues to get higher and higher despite the use of medications. When I must walk any distance I can feel my pulse in my face. sleep Apnea I must now sleep with an ugly cumbersome breathing machine at night. I am afraid I will die in my sleep if I don’t use my CPAP. Caught Variant Asthma When I have an asthma attack, I cough because I can’t breathe. I cough so hard I turn purple, pee my pants and throw up…not nice anywhere, especially in front of a classroom full of elementary kids. Foot and ankle pain The pain in my feet and ankles is so severe, that at night I must elevate and ice them just to be able to walk around the house. I have spurs on many of my foot bones because I have carried around so much weight for so long. Chaffing My thighs rub together. My arms rub my sides. My fat folds rub each other and the tops of my legs. It is miserable! Even though I wash, medicate, powder, use antiperspirant under my belly fat and in the creases and wear absorbing cotton clothing, I STILL rub, sweat, chafe, hurt, and break out in nasty folliculitis. Walking My thighs are so fat; my legs are forced to spread, causing my gait to be too wide. This makes my hips and lower back hurt. I walk like an old fat cowboy duck. Just watch me next time I come into the room. I can’t walk more than a block without pain in my back, hips, feet and ankles. I am out of breath after the first 100 yards. My ankles and feet hurt so badly all day. Stairs? Ha. Going up is actually better than going down. I may be slow ascending stairs and need breaks within a single flight, but descending, well I can’t see my feet to see the next step below me. Each step down jars my huge frame. It is easier if I turn to the side, hold on to the rail and use a side step, using the same foot to lead on each step. I prefer elevators or escalators even if I am going down one flight. Sweating Have you ever been so winded and worn out after taking a trip through Wal-Mart that the sweat rolls down your back and into your butt crack? No? Try being me for a day. Getting Up I have a hard time getting in and up out of cars, chairs, the floor and bed. Fitting I need chairs without arms. Do you know how many chairs have arms? All movie theatres, all theatrical venues, all stadiums, all beauty shops, dentist chairs, office chairs, lawn chairs, waiting rooms, airplanes, trains, and most restaurants (I’m sorry ma’am we only have chairs with arms, do you think you could fit in a booth? HA!) I don’t fit in many cars, non handicapped bathroom stalls, dressing rooms, bathtubs, the spaces between clothing racks at stores, and turnstiles. Bathrooming First I must see if I have enough room to spread my leg wide enough to wipe, then I check the sturdiness of the toilet. I have been on a toilet in the midst of a very delicate maneuver when the toilet has come loose from the floor and made a horrible mess. It is a very embarrassing thing to have to tell your hostess that you broke her toilet and ruined the bathroom rugs. Once all seems to be fit, I do my business and then attempt to lean forward with one arm tucked under my belly. I must balance all of me onto my tip toes and reach through the front. This acrobatic feat is difficult. I do not fit in regular sized bathtubs. If I must bathe, I force my hips into the tub. I had to install a shower wand to clean my self properly while showering. I use hibiclense and other antimicrobial soaps and solutions to reduce the risk of folliculitis, and faruncles. I shower every morning and every evening to keep my fat folds clean and my body smelling nice. Clothing This is a big issue with me. I must be very careful in clothing I select as not to bring attention to my self. One day I bought a very expensive, very cute chartreuse short set. I wore it to the store and I had a very rude person look directly at me and mimic my walk and say, “Look, at me…I am a big, fat lime!” Super sized clothing is hard to find. Once you do find it, it is very expensive. I spend a lot of time, effort and money covering my body in a tasteful way. I must be very careful in selecting clothing. I cannot fit in any clothes from regular plus sized shops. I surpassed the sizes at Lane Bryant 5 years ago. I am now wearing the largest size at the only two mail order clothiers available. I will have to resort to having “tents” made for me if I don’t loose weight. Sex Sex is very difficult because of my large stomach and large backside. This is a very difficult topic to discuss, and an even more difficult topic to endure. My sex life is not what I want it to be because my fat makes sex very difficult. I also feel very self conscious about my body. Mentally Embarrassment I do not like the way I look. I feel embarrassed about how I look to other people. I feel that my fat makes me ugly and undesirable. It is embarrassing to not fit in a $120.00 Chicago theatre seat and have to ask the manager if there is any where else he could seat me. I am embarrassed when am winded from taking my students out to recess. I am embarrassed when I must lift my fat belly up over a turnstile to fit through it. Compensating I feel I must be better, smarter, funnier, cleverer, and more charming because I am fat. I have developed quite a sense of humor to mask my hurt at being left out of many things over the course of growing up. Sarcasm is one of my compensating tools. Sadness- I cry often because I am overwhelmed about my weight. It make s me feel so sad to think about all of the things I miss out on because I am fat. I hate myself for getting so fat and out of control. I am angry at myself for not being able to stick to an eating plan and exercise regime. Fear I do not want to develop heart problems because of my obesity. I fear going to the doctor each time, because I am expecting to hear the words “heart disease.” My blood pressure scares me. Anxiety then takes over and I feel overwhelmed with guilt and fear. Self Consciousness I cover my body with big baggy clothes. I cover my belly with a pillow to “hide” my fat when I am sitting on a couch. I am always very aware of how other people are looking at me, and the remarks they make. This horrible habit puts a strain on my marriage. Self Worth My self worth is in the toilet. I feel disgusting. I hate being fat and I hate not being able to control my food intake. I feel bad about not being able to lose weight. I feel like a failure because I am not able to stick to a successful diet or long range exercise program. These and many more mental obstacles must be overcome daily, even hourly. It is emotionally draining to have to prepare my self mentally for a day, not to mention the actually endurance of the emotions through the day. I am tired and disgusted with being so emotionally tied to this weight. Socially As a child I was ridiculed and left out of peer activities. In middle school I had a handful of friends, but the fat jokes and ridicule over shadowed me and made me feel worthless, ugly and unwanted. There was a rumor that followed me through all of 6th, 7th and 8th grades about me looking pregnant and every week it the big joke was to ask me whose baby it was. Ha! So funny! A three year “gestation period” was more than I could endure. I sought help from the school counselors. They told me if I lost weight they would stop bothering me. High school was miserable. I was never asked on a date, never held a boy’s hand. I was always overlooked. College was no different. Either were my 20s. No boyfriends, no dates, nothing…and I DID try. I tried 2 dating services; I spent 3 years in a huge singles group at my church. While my girlfriends were on dates and getting engaged, I was alone and depressed. I finally put a personal ad on yahoo. I did find a loving man who I fell in love with and married. I love my husband, but I wish I didn’t have the lonely rejection filled past. There are many social opportunities that I must turn down because of my morbid obesity. Camping, swimming, hiking and traveling are too difficult at my size. When a friend asks me to go out, I must consider all of the possibilities (Will there be room for me, is the restroom big enough, is her car big enough, will the chair support me even if I do fit?) There worries are enough to make me want to stay at home, and often times, I do because of worry and shame. Financially It is expensive to be fat and even more expensive to yo-yo diet. I have done both since I was 16. Specialty clothing costs twice as much as other clothes. My medical needs are very costly, even with health insurance. I spend lots of money on my favorite hobbies, eating and cooking. I need help. I want to be successful in losing weight. I am ready. I want to be able to walk with our pain. I want to be alive for another 35 years, at least! Please help me by considering me for weight loss surgery.