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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?

Hi! Yes, I went through the same thing... And I am still going through it. I am three weeks out and still in a stall. I was told that it is very normal in the beginning to stall early on as your body is still healing. It is more important to get in your protein at this point. I still struggle to get in enough water but My Nutritionist said to make sure to get in my protein above anything else... Then water. I'm currently only getting in 30-35 ounces of water, but I'm trying! Good luck!

I haven't even been sleeved yet, but I am so prepared for the dreaded three week stall. I never want to see another post about that again. Thanks for the blog. It was super refreshing and very funny.

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?

So I was looking through your posts and you have this great topic posted on the 30th of July that says 4.5 months out - 80 pounds down. That means that you lost over an average of 4 pounds a week! That's incredible. Can you blame your body for needing some time to adjust? =) Stalls are crazy difficult things. I had a 3 week one when I was only 3 weeks out and I thought I was failing at another weight loss journey. Then one day it started moving again, simple as that. I think yours will be the same. Look through your nutrition records - are you getting in all your protein still? All your water? Are you creeping up on calories? I think the gastric sleeve is definitely for you. You didn't gain the weight over a six month period - to expect to lose it all that quick is not only not as healthy as losing slower, but you would have tons of loose skin! Do you measure? Are you losing inches in these three weeks? Maybe your skin is tighter than you'd be with RNY. Maybe you're healthier, have less vitamin deficiencies. Three weeks feels like forever, but in the scheme of things, it's really not. You are doing amazing. Don't give up.

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

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.

First of all, as far as I know there is no definition of a "stall." Is it when you don't lose weight for one day, two days, a week, two weeks, a month? That said, there were many, many months, including my first month after surgery, when the scale did not move for 3 days and then there sould be a drop on two or three pounds. Most months I lost 8-9 lbs, which is a little more than a quarter pound a day, As the months went on, I sometimes stayed at the same weight for longer periods. In April 2011, I stayed the same for six days and then lost half a pound, but for the month I was down 8.5 lbs. In May 2011, I stayed the same weight for 11 days, and lost only 4 lbs that month. The following month I lost 11 lbs. What I am trying to illustrate is that if you stick to your plan and just trust that you will lose, it will be a lot easier on you emotionally. When I got on the scale and saw the same number a few days in a row, I just said to myself, "Well, maybe tomorrow." Plateaus (I like that word better than "stall") happen. They start, they end. Take a deep breath and just move on.

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 ????

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:

It's a common thread I see running around this forum.. people asking why they didn't do this years ago. I'm even young and I'm finding myself asking the same thing. Though I'm only 25.. I wish I would have done it at 18 or 20.. admittedly, maybe I wasn't ready then.. maybe I still needed time.. especially because part of my story is finding out at 24 that I had bipolar II without the usual "standard" symptoms of women docs normally see in their 20's so I was very hard to diagnose and went through a period of about three years where I alienated everyone but my very closest friends because I was so hard to be around -- with a low of winding up needing to be admitted to a psych ward to get it all figured out. I definitely learned who my friends were (and who, surprisingly, weren't...) I am also social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and depression.. so I spent the last year and a half in counseling trying to get my mental self to match the well-put together self I present to the world thanks to years of being on stage growing up. I learned to show myself as put together - graduating magna cum laude and being responsible even if I was falling apart inside. So I needed to deal with all of that first before I felt ready to confront my weight. But finally I was ready. It started about 1 year ago. I had been feeling bad about my weight for a while. I was overweight during my childhood. My grandmothers both grew up during the Great Depression.. so for them.. giving me food was the same as giving me love.. especially high calorie foods. For them eating wasn't about hunger.. it was about enjoyment and thankfulness to have food to eat. (One was thin, one was overweight). But from them I learned to love all the wrong types of food and to love them in gigantic portions.. My stomach was already way stretched by the time I was 7 or 8. I remember weighing 85 pounds in 2nd grade because we did a math thing where we all weighed in front of the class. There was only one student, a boy, who weighed more.. during school I dealt with a lot, I mean a LOT of bullying because I was mature and just different - I'd rather read a book or write a story than go out for recess and I was reading Romeo and Juliet while they were reading Junie B Jones (For the Record I like her too even though she's a huge spoiled brat). Basically I had a generation gap with my peers since my parents were born in the late forties and early fifties and their parents were much younger.. so I was already -extremely- bullied. I didn't make my first non-internet friends until college.. and those were some of the people I found out weren't true blue friends when I went through my emotional break down a couple of years ago... So yeah.. and it didn't help that I was overweight.. that was just something else to give them to make fun of me about. As it turned out.. even though I wasn't doing even as good as I am now in therapy one year ago.. I was doing better than I had been in years and that gave me time and energy to turn my thoughts to the weight I'd been unhappy to be carrying around for years. Before college it bothered me.. but I didn't think about it a lot.. it was in early college when I hit 200 and started having trouble finding clothes that would fit me in your typical stores both like Macy's but also stores that people my age like - Aeropostale, Am. Eagle etc.. that I started to have a personal crisis about my weight and be super unhappy with it. Shopping became my least favorite thing because it was an exercise in taking whatever would fit rather than whatever I liked. And by a year ago I had started to notice I couldn't do or keep up with the same types of activities most people my age do. I love showing my dog Riff in conformation and was learning that I couldn't keep up with her jogging on our down and back (jogging beside the dog so the judge can see his or her movement properly) and that getting on my knees to present her not only hurt but was nearly impossible. I started to be even more unhappy because I couldn't do the hobbies I loved that people my age are doing. And in the meantime for the past 5-10 years I'd been trying every diet known to man.. I didn't feel like any of them were sustainable for a life time because I was unhappy with them. And rather than yo-yoing I just didn't lose. Didn't matter how well I stuck to a diet, I'd find myself losing maybe 5 pounds in 7 or 8 months of hard work.. and finally I gave up.. I was near the point of accepting I was just going to be overweight forever and that was how it was going to be. I knew my issues - I don't eat for emotional reasons, I don't eat when I'm not hungry.. but my stomach was super stretched from years of eating too much and I like big portions and the wrong kinds of things. I could go and polish off a huge plate of food enough for three meals and feel "Just about right" and I didn't have the self control to starve while I waited on my stomach to shrink naturally.. I just couldn't do it. I had heard things about gastric bypass that made me say no way never.. things like "You'll never be able to have any sugar again." or "You'll never be able to have fried foods again." While I'm happy to make lifestyle changes, things like "Never again" aren't something I'm capable of. So I ruled out surgery for a long while. Finally, a year ago I looked into it again and read about gastric sleeve for the first time.. and it was a fit.. not as serious as gastric bypass.. less prone to things like dumping syndrome.. and all about moderation rather than "never agains" more healthy choices.. less bad ones.. but I didn't have to promise I was never eating Pasta or never having a fried chicken leg again - which was something I knew I couldn't agree to. There was less risk of serious complications and it was a plan I thought I could actually live with and be happy and it went right to the root of my issue - shrink my stomach so I can get used to a normal portion size again without having to starve. Something I haven't had since I was 6-7 years old. Within two days of researching I was ready to commit. But of course getting my medicaid to pay for the surgery wasn't as easy as deciding I wanted it - even though I looked over the qualifications and knew I met them - I still had a lot of hoops to jump through. In October I started my 6 month phys supervised diet which only convinced my doctor and I that I needed the surgery even more. I ate 1500 calories a day and walked my dog most days for 30+ minutes (which was a significant step down from what I had been eating and step up from my sedentary lifestyle) and lost only 11 pounds in all that time. And part of it came back! Getting cleared psychologically was a battle too. They wanted a psychiatrist who didn't know me to evaluate me even though my own had already sent a letter of approval.. and the psychiatrist who I did see didn't really want to clear someone who was bipolar.. it was a battle, but finally I got cleared. That by itself took over two months and delayed my surgery which should have been in March 2016. I also had to have blood work, a number of physician check ups by my program's docs and so on. But finally all the hard work paid off.. on the first submission to insurance, I was approved within a week! How excited was I! And my surgery was set for May 31st 2016. However, the roller coaster wasn't over.. I had little contact with my bariatric program from the get go... they share a department, nurses, etc with general surgery.. so calling to talk to someone there is always a nightmare.. it's a 30 minute wait to get a human on the phone, calling to talk to a nurse means a 5 hour or more wait for a call back.. and it also means a very unpersonalized approach.. they're so busy and have so many people through their program that they want everyone to be a cookie cutter mold and don't want to offer people any individualized advice because "others in the program might want the same advice." Well number one - others in the program shouldn't know what -I- discuss with my doctors so how could they want it and number two healthcare isn't supposed to be about squeezing people into a mold and making the exact same treatment work for everyone... so I began to be unhappy with my program from early on.. especially when their psychiatrist and my psychiatrist got into a fight over the phone about whether I was going to get cleared. Their psychiatrist had met me only once and knew nothing about my case history while my own psychiatrist has been working with me for about a year and half.. who do you think was more qualified to say if I was stable or not? But aparently their program couldn't understand that.. However.. I was stuck.. Medicaid wanted me in state and this program was the closest to me and already an hour and a half away.. the only other options were double or triple that commute time (Chicago). So I just kinda had to stick with it.. I've gone on to be further disappointed by them at numerous occasions - namely when my surgeon said that Water aerobics is a joke of an exercise program and only for people who can't do anything else and that I couldn't hit my weight loss goal of 130 pounds doing water exercise of any kind (there's a thread floating around about that). Clearly he's never taken a hard core water exercise class or he would know that is so not true. I took my first one Friday and I was sweating in the water! Finally I did get to have my surgery though! Before surgery I had an 800 calorie diet for two weeks focusing on Protein and lean meats and veggies and reasonable on carbs. It wasn't too hard of a diet to follow beyond getting hungry because my stomach was huge. Surgery day came but I was excited rather than nervous. especially because all of us May 31st sleevers from the forum (there was about 10 of us) made a facebook group so we could keep in touch and that really helps to have other people who are exactly where I'm at in the recovery stage. I didn't have much trouble recovering from surgery. I never had any gas pain and even though I was in pain in general the first three days they gave me lots of morphine and kept me very comfortable. While my program as a whole is somewhat disappointing - I do have to say that the nurses who took care of me in the hospital couldn't have been better. They helped me walk. They helped me get up to go to the bathroom and helped me adjust positions in bed since I needed help doing all that for the first 2-3 days. I brought my laptop to the hospital with me and spent time here on the forums and doing other stuff I like -- even played some Sims. My recovery was uncomplicated and three days later I was able to go home. My internal swelling went down fast and by a week out I was so sick of liquids that I couldn't help but try a little puree and it worked just fine to help supplement and keep me from going nuts. One thing that's been very helpful to me is Fairlife Milk. it's heightened protein milk with 13 grams of protein for a cup. I drink it straight and also add it to my Soups. It helps a lot in getting in my 64 oz of liquid and my 60 grams of protein. I've been using an app called Plant Nanny which lets you grow plants based on how much Fluid you consume then you can plant them in your garden and harvest their seeds to get more diverse plants.. it makes drinking at least slightly more fun. I also wear a fitbit flex and it's synced with My Fitness Pal. I log my calories on MFP and my exercise syncs there from my fitbit automatically and tells me if I've earned extra calories from exercise (though I rarely use those). I was never given a calorie goal to shoot for but I set a goal of 800 for myself based on the pre-opp diet and what I can eat and get in 60 grams of protein without feeling too stuffed/ too deprived. I'm on my own for a lot of it because I've only met with the NUT once for 30 minutes pre-opp about 2 months and I won't see her again until in July so... I just read and do the best I can. So yeah I'm 3 full weeks out from surgery on Tuesday and also down 20 pounds since May 18th (the start of my pre-opp liver diet). I faced the three week stall at about week 2 instead of three and I was down to a new low for the first time in a week today so I'm hoping that it's broken and I'll have a bit of smooth sailing for a while from here. So.. that's my story so far. I don't know if people post in these to update but.. every once in a while I'll post back and let you guys know how I'm doing.

At face value it's because I lost 90 pounds over a looong three years, then stalled for a year despite trying my hardest to break the stall, and then after going on a 1200 calorie diet recommended by my doic I started *gaining* weight back. That was it. I had tried for so hard, and so long, and I feel like I gave losing weight 'on my own' my best attempt and I was sick. Sick of being fat, sick of being undesirable, sick of society not accepting me (my main motivation for losing weight at all, really), sick of chronic knee and back pain... Overall, I'm just over being fat and everything that comes along with it. I'm a big fan of fat acceptance and health at every size, but imo health includes mental health and at my size and my size-based self imposed prison, I was verging on tossing in the towel on life in general. I have a history of depression. I don't think losing weight will fix that by any means, but even though I'm only 5 weeks out I have no regrets and I'm so happy and so relieved that I finally went through with WLS after researching it and skirting around it for 8 or so years. Losing weight may not fix my mental perception of myself, but I'll be happy if it prevents a knee-replacement in the future.

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 am in the same boat. I'll be three weeks post op tomorrow. I lost 23 lbs week one and not a single pound since then. I would had thought this was way too soon to stall. I do think there's something with the whole protein and water thing though so I started really pushing myself today. I got in my first full protein shake today and have been sipping my water so I hope it all makes a difference. Hang in there ladies...we are going to make this thing work for us!!!

I too am a slow loser, but so far I have lost consistently each week with the exception of the famous three week stall that lasted 3.5 weeks. My surgery was 12-28-11, I have lost 29 lbs since my surgery and that includes the pre- liquid diet. Most people think I've lost much more. So far the skin is pretty good considering I'm and old lady. I have always been a slow loser, have less than some to lose and have age against. It came on slow, so I will be patient. I see huge life changes already. At to months I was afraid my Dr would be upset, she was elated, also counted the weight I lost prior to surgery and thought percentage wise I was ahead of schedule. I had feared her reaction and she actually made me feel so successful. Keep up the good work!

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 lost 7 pounds last month, so in no way has my weight loss stalled. However, as you all have come to know, I'm a very impatient person. I want to see a little come off on the scale EVERYDAY! Obviously, that is unrealistic and I need to learn to appreciate life without one eye focused on the scale. One way I'm doing that is through pictures. As horribly hard as it was for me to have pictures taken of myself at my biggest, I'm now very glad I did. The physical transformation I have gone through is instant inspiration to me when I have any low feelings at all. Another way I focus OFF the scale is focusing on how my clothes fit. I'm wearing a size 16 NY&Co pair of pants today that I bought when my mom was in town. Less than three weeks ago, I could get them on, but they were too snug to wear. Today, they look perfect! I remember the way I felt when I weighed 285 pounds. I still went places with my friends, but I felt withdrawn. I wanted to fade into the woodwork. I wanted to hide myself and my body. I was so hard on myself for every little thing because I felt insecure because of my fatness. Now, I'm much more confident with my body. I practically flirted with a guy in the elevator this morning. Ha! I will catch a glace of myself in a mirror or window reflection and I can hardly believe it is me. I worked out twice yesterday and didn't feel like I was overworked. It's absolutely incredible. As you also have been able to tell, I love having my picture taken now. I still have a long way to go, but I just feel so darn good! No need to put off living while I finish the job. :confused: Tonight I'm going with one of by LAP-BAND® Support Group buddies to see Shrek. I have made friends with two girls from the group. I'm so grateful to have folks face to face that are going through what I am going through. Plus, they are super fun!! Happy Wednesday!

Hi everyone, I was banded May 6th of this year and was doing really well until I hit a brick wall three weeks ago. I had my 3rd fill on August 3rd and the doctor and I were hopeful that this would get me in the green zone but it hasn't. After losing two pounds by the end of that week, the last three weeks I've bascially plateaued. I've gained and lost the same 1.5 pounds. I am getting my Protein and Water and exercising almost every day. I've changed up my exercise, varied my calories but never more than 1200 and still haven't been able to break this plateau. The only good thing is that my scale is recording body fat loss even if there has been no weight loss. Since I'm still 50 pounds from goal, this stall three months out is heartbreaking and frustrating. I have made an appointmen for a fill tomorrow. I can still eat about 8oz of food and am hoping that this will help me get beyond this stall. Has anyone else exerpienced a pleateau this soon? I suppose techincally I started dieting last summer but took a two month break before surgery so I really think my diet started in May. Thanks for listening!

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:

I am currently in a stall and it hasn't quite been 3 months since my surgery. I had the usual 3 week post-op stall that lasted well over two weeks. Now I've hit another stall that is currently at three weeks long. Is this fairly typical? To have them this often? Just curious as to how many stalls you all have had. Thanks in advance for any input!

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

I was three weeks out on Thursday, so three weeks and two days today, and I am down 17 lbs. So it is very similiar. I don't imagine I will lose huge amounts in the next five days. So, I am fine with it, I think there will be stalls here and there, but then you might be suprised when you step on the scale and it is three lbs less all of the sudden!