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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.

the three-week stall usually lasts a week or two, but I've known of a couple of people who had it last for 3.5 weeks. Mine lasted for two weeks and after it broke, I settled into a pattern like you described - a half pound to a pound a day. I lost at that rate for the first six or seven months, then it slowed down even more (actually, after the first month or two, it was more like a half pound a day, if that...). It adds up over time, though. I've lost a total of 236 lbs. Just stick to your program and be patient and the weight will come off..

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!

Thanks. It's surreal sometimes to realize that I have lost over 200 pounds. Two hundred pounds! And yet I still feel like the same old Big Sue a lot of the time. TBH, I've been struggling a lot in many aspects of my life, so I'm not in a great place to be offering encouraging words to other WLS patients right now. I do still look at new posts, though, and I have to admire you for sticking around after all these years to educate newbies on things like the three week stall.

Milk of magnesia has helped me deal with any bathroom issues. (If you use it, just take a sip or two and not a complete dose. I learned that lesson the hard way the first time...) And the "three week stall" is quite real. I hit it, on schedule, right at the beginning of week 3. I lost about 2 pounds total over the next 2 weeks, and then it started to pick up again. I've lost about 10 pounds in the last 10-11 days, so it doesn't last forever. Feel better.

It took a good week for all the extra fluids to wash out. Then I lost 16lbs the next week. Now I am at the dreaded three week stall.

it's the infamous three-week stall (this early stall happens to probably 90% of us. It's usually the third week after surgery (hence the name), but not always. It can happen any time within the first 4-6 weeks after surgery). If you do a search on it on this site, you will find over 17,000 posts on it (and not, I am NOT kidding). Just stick to your program and stay off the scale for a few days. It usually takes 1-3 weeks to break, but it WILL break and you'll be on your way again.

@@rescue4_u welcome. it's kind of a known thing called the three week stall. embrace the Stall. search for stall. stay on course!

I am doing well. Had an over three week stall. It was getting a little frustrating that the scale stopped moving. Then one day I stepped on and I had lost 5.5 pounds overnight. I had to weigh again just to check that it wasn’t a mistake. I am back to losing again but not as quickly. Strangely I am having more problems with food these days. My system seems to be getting more picky. I hope everyone is doing well. I still have no regrets.

Hi! I had surgery on the 13th and a few days ago I made a post called "I hate the scale" lol. I have sort of been all over the place, too. Actually in the past few days since I upped my calories, I am having a more consistent downward weight trend. I think mine was a mixture of body fluids and constipation for the first 10 days after surgery. Today I had my two week appointment and I was down a total of 9 lbs, which doesn't seem like a lot especially compared to those people who lose like 22 or 25 lb in 2 weeks, but I'm following the plan, so there's not much else I can do. I was happy to find out that that loss finally put me under a 35 BMI, so little losses are adding up. I know that people usually talk about the three-week stall on here, but the second week was really chaotic for me weight-wise. Hopefully we will both be slow but steady to meet our goals. Ps I just realized this is the bypass forum, and I had sleeve, but I don't think it makes that much difference in the first few weeks.

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

You may be one of the unlucky ones whose hunger doesn't go away with surgery. And I will say that your surgeon's idea that you must stay on 800 cal a day to lose weight flies in the face of scienc. Stand back, I'm going to use MATH! If you were maintaining your (heavy) weight by eating, say, 3500 calories a day, then that's your maintenance for that weight. So now, if you are eating 800 calories, you are in a deficit of 2700 calories a day, which means you'd lose three quarters of a pound per day on average. If you're eating 1200 calories, you're in a deficit of 2300 calories a day, which means you'd lose two thirds of a pound per day on average. Yes, different macros (protein, carbs, fat, alcohol) do work differently in your body, but ultimately your body is bound, like everyone's, to the calories in-calories out equation. I suspect what happened to you is twofold: 1. You're in a lengthy stall (search up "three-week stall", it happens to almost all of us, it's incredibly frustrating, it's not always at 3 weeks, and it can last a month for some people). It's because your body has depleted its glycogen and is probably somewhat dehydrated (it's hard to drink enough right after surgery), and your fluid balance is adjusting itself. 2. You're frustrated and not tracking what you eat. Unfortunately, this is something that has to be done. You can't fix your diet if you don't know what your diet is. And that means, at least for me, pre-prepping meals and weighing things out. I just pop a tray in the microwave a few times a day and have it all specced out. I use MyMacros+ for tracking. One of the big culprits is cooking oil/fat. How many people measure the oil they put in a pan to cook their, say, chicken breast? Nobody except bariatric patients—everyone else just sploops some oil in a pan until it looks right. I actually have a bar jigger on the counter so I can measure in 1/2 ounces and full ounces. Track your food. Literally track your food. If you find you're not losing weight on 800 cal a day, spend a week eating 1000 cal a day to see if it'll shock your system. I am at about 1400-1500 cal a day a little short of three months post-op, because I work physical work and am very active (gym, running, hiking, etc.) and need the calories to be able to function. But I still track each and every day. The surgery isn't bullshit. If it were possible to just severely restrict calories without it, nobody would get the surgery. But there are thousands of people here, myself included, who found success with the surgery that wouldn't have been possible without it.

Checking in, fellow August sleevers. Sounds like everyone's finding their post-op VSG groove. Also sounds like everyone has discovered that the Three Week Stall wasn't just an urban myth. I'm 34 days post-op. Have lost 33 pounds total (pre- and post-op). I'm 2 pounds away from Onederland. Only unusual part of my VSG resume is that on Day 28 post-op I had gall bladder surgery. Could've done without that, but c'est la vie, eh? But I had the same surgeon, same surgical team, same hospital. In and out of the hospital same day. My protein intake is going well. Food experimentation is fine, even sometimes delicious. Last night we had Mexican takeout, and I had chicken fajitas (2 ounces of meat and 1 ounce of onions/peppers) slightly ground and 2 ounces of Rosarita no-fat traditional refried beans and an ounce of cheddar cheese (melted). I even had a couple (no more) of tortilla chips. Was delish! My water is usually 8-16 ounces too low (REALLY got to fix that!). Walking the dog for 30 minutes a day is my typical exercise, but my exercise activities and variety will increase soon. Also, Miralax works for me when constipation gets bad. My energy sort of waxes and wanes, but over the long haul it's getting better all the time. So, other than the gall bladder surgery interruption, all's going well here. Best to all. Focus on your progress and stay positive! I think that helps.

Hi December buddies! I didn't have a chance to read all posts but wanted to check in and say hi. I am 3 weeks post op (sleeved December 11, 2017). I hit the dreaded "three week stall" last week, as I haven't lost anything since Christmas. However, I am down 34 pounds from my heaviest, and 28 pounds since starting my 2 day pre-op liquid diet. I'm also down 17 inches so far! My doctor said to be careful with working out, and no weights yet. His concern was I wasn't getting all my protein in. However, I have upped my protein and I'm now hitting between 60-80g a day. I'm wondering if anybody has started doing cardio yet? I'm anxious to put in the work to break this stall, although I know time is necessary as well. I'm on pureed, and eating a lot of tuna salad and egg salad since my plan allows those without actually being pureed. I just have to cut it up really small! Everything is going really well so far, and I am allowed to start "real" food Saturday, woot! Happy New Year! Here is to a healthier and happier year for all of us.

Four days ago I made three weeks post op and I think I am having the dreaded three week stall! I am the same 266. PTL that I did not gain which I think at this point would be hard to do, but staying the same is sad. I am eating as my dietitian and I work out five days a week for fifty minutes I just have to press through. I know, I know embrace the stall. Words of encouragement are welcomed.

Dragonsmate, good for you! Now, when you hit the three week stall, don't get into a tizzy.....

Hi Stars in my eyes - there a few threads that discuss a three week stall - maybe some of the responses there might be useful? I'm just over 1 week out so I have not experienced this yet. But from what I can recall reading there were quite a few who did have a stall at 3 weeks post Op Cheers

By approximation in theory but in practice I don't need to. There is no weight I could be, where eating 1000 Calories per day wouldn't cause weight loss. The other problem with weighing oneself is seen on this forum which is replete with hand wringing regarding the "three week stall" and many other issues which aren't issues at all with regard to fat loss. They are scale related aberrations.

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

@@Buffer is your Vitamin regimen only a multi vitamin or is it also a Calcium and a sublingual B12? Early out, for me, my surgeon told me the most important thing would be hydration. I had issues drinking shakes post op because they would quickly fill me up and I could never finish. That in turn impacted my Water intake. Vicious cycle. I can sympathize with you. The game changed for me was finding a Protein powder with no gum additives. Manufacturers add cellulose, guar or xanthan gum to "thicken" shakes. For me the increased viscosity made them "heavy" and difficult to finish. If your protein contains these it could be making you feel too full and making them less desire-able for you. A three week stall is not uncommon, stick to your program that your team has outlined for you and you should start seeing results again soon. Your body could still be reacting to the surgery and drop in daily caloric intake that it may be trying to preserve itself before allowing itself to lose more. Also, check with your team about your Fluid intake. Personally I would focus on hydration. A common reason why bariatric patients end up in the ER is dehydration. Again, check with your team before considering any changes to their plan for you, they know best.

I'm one month out tommorow and have lost 27 pds, went through a three week stall but hopefully I break it soon! 9 more pds and I will too be in 1-Derlandd

Crystal light won't affect the stall. The stall is your body's way of adjusting. Mine lasted two and a half weeks and some have lasted up to several months for others. You want to up protein and be patient. I drank Crystal Light and still do but alternate between that and plain water, with plain water being my main source of liquid. You shouldn't have any restriction on liquid at all. I did cut out the protein shake, which helped me, not sure how much meat you eat so feel unsure you want to cut that out. Walking more now helps, and I'm losing a pound a day. I have no issues, even eating one small scoop of ice cream with a cookie last night, and waking up a pound and a half lighter. (First and last time eating ice cream for a long time, I had no dumping syndrome.) The stalls are hard but normal. There is no dreaded "three week stall", it's just one of several plateaus you will hit. I will say you may wish to not drink crystal light due to fake sweetener that's in it, still having said that I drink it once in a while when water is too redundant. I personally don't think you ought to return to all fluids - you need to eat every three or so hours to keep your metabolism working. It's the yo-yo dieting that ruined the ability to lose to begin with. Just stick with 1-2 oz of food. Measure out 4oz, put half away and eat when you feel hungry. My doctor told me to expect a severe stall after I started solid food and that's exactly what I got. I'm down 53 pounds since May 1st. Good luck.

I'm 5'3" and started at 263.8, so I wasn't far off from you. I was a snug size 20 pants and a 2x top with 44DDD boobs. I am still 5'3" and down to 184.2 as of this morming. I am now a tight 12 or a loose 14 with a loose L top and 38DD boobs (the reason why I can't wear M tops). I am almost 5 months out and only 24 pounds away from my original goal before I decided to push myself to 150. That makes me 34 pounds away which feels oh so obtainable. I went through the three week "stall" which lasted almost two weeks and then the three month stall that lasted a month and I am now losing again. When I get to 150, I will see what I look like and reevaluate. I am an hourglass shape and I've not been that small since my sophomore year in college so who knows, twenty two years and two kids later. I teach kickboxing now, I can log in 20 miles over a weekend and feel great on Monday, I WANT to exercise every day and get frustrated when I can't. I never forget my pedometer when I used to on "accident". I do martial arts and when I do a jumping kick, I can actually get off the ground and my balance is so much better. Best of all? I FEEL GREAT ABOUT ME!! I've always had a healthy sense of self and I've always been very confident (in my opinion), but I am just now realizing how much of myself I actually lost now that I am getting ME back. If I didn't lose another pound, I'd be OK. I've gained so much more already. Best journey of my life so far and it's only going to get better.

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

I'm with you guys. I've been at a stall for about 3 weeks. Just when I think I broke my stall my weight goes back up a little bit so I've been playing with a few pounds going up and down. I've been good with my food choices. One time i had 2 bites of birthday cake, but that was a week ago. I'm sure this must be the three weeks stall but my stall is lasting 3 weeks or more and I'm trying not to freak out and just do what I'm told and hopefully everything will work out in time. I'm sure if we all keep up with our protein, liquids and healthy choices, we will succeed.