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Okay. Deep breath. Exhale. 'Nother deep breath. Exhale. One more. Exhale. If you search these forums, you will find almost 20,000 posts on the infamous "three-week stall". That is exactly where you are, and sometimes it lasts a few weeks. Stay on your plan, stay OFF the friggin' scale except ONCE a week, and just be patient. The constipation is almost certainly part of the issue, though you're not eating enough to really be backing stuff up. But you can go and get an enema at any drugstore; sometimes it just "packs" and you have to break the pack. (Gross, sorry, I know, but facts.) You're also almost certainly not getting much if any fiber. It does get better. One thing you might want to try (though who knows if it'll work for you) is INCREASING your food a little bit. I know it sucks, but anything helps. Soup. Tomato soup. Cream soup. Whatever. Just increase calories to about 500-600, in concert with your nutritionist's guidance, and see if that moves things along.

I feel really defeated and upset. Sorry this is gonna be a negative post but I dont know what to do anymore. I had my surgery (vsg) September 28th (in another post I mixed up September and October) and recovered very well, very fast. Hardly any gas pain, no incisional pain and so far no vomiting. As thankful as I am about all that that pretty much sums up all the good things there are. First of I’m hungry ALL THE TIME!! In fact my cravings have never been this bad. I think about food 24/7!! Then the moment I smell food or prepare food my hunger vanishes and gets replaced by feeling incredibly nauseous. I can only eat something once then it grosses me out. Because of this I avoid eating and - as stupid as it sounds I’m well aware of that - I get scared to eat because I dont want to be miserable. I can tolerate everything fine but the smell is just awful! Speaking of awful I have the worst and most disgusting bad breath of my life!! No matter how much I brush my teeth and floss my mouth my family can smell me from down the hall. I feel so gross! If only I was loosing weight I’d accept it all but the kicker is I’m not losing any!! The first two weeks I lost 25lbs. Week 3 and four I lost 3lbs and since then (two weeks!!) I’ve been stalling. I’m so frustrated!! What makes matters the absolute worst (sorry this is tmi) I can’t 💩!!!! I havent gone in 15 days!! I’m seeing a nutritionist, who has prescribed me stool softener but nothing happened. I’ll probably have to go back to the hospital over the weekend to get a stronger laxative (talked to the surgeon on the phone today). I didnt expect to have regular bowl movement as before but feeling constipated for two weeks is really no fun. I’m telling myself at least once that’s out maybe my weight will finally drop? Some more context: My surgeon’s plan calls for regular food after day 4. I didnt follow that guideline because it scared me and ate soft foods till aprox. week 5 focusing on my protein intake. I weigh my food though I feel like I can eat a lot. So far I consume around 300-400kcal a day. I had to eat out once for work where I had bread with cheese. Other than that I’m very diligent with my diet. My water intake could be better but I’m constantly sipping on water and cant get more down than 1 maybe 1 1/2L a day. I feel like I’m being punished because I lost (and gained back) 100lbs three times before with very restrictive diets and my body is so used to “being starved” so it’s not playing along. I keep reminding myself my main goal isnt weight loss (though I need and want to) but to stop yoyo dieting in such excess. It’s hardly comforting though because I’m really really frustrated. I’m sorry to be so negative! And I’m sorry I wrote so much but I need to get it off my chest. Have any of y’all had a similar hard beginning? Does it really get better? At this point I can’t imagine it

yep - sounds like the infamous "three week stall" that happens to probably 90% of us. If you do a search on this site for it, you'll find over 17,000 posts on it. And no, I am NOT kidding. just stick to your plan and stay off your scale for a few days. It typically lasts 1-3 weeks. But it WILL break and you'll be on your way again...

Memar, there is a phenomenon termed the “three week stall”. It is quite well known, often occurring at 3 weeks post op, but can happen at other times post op. Your body is just catching up and if you stay with the plan your bariatric team has outlined, you’ll see movement on the scale again!

I didn't have a three week stall exactly, but I am at 7 weeks out and I lost NADA last week - actually went up 0.2 lbs. I'm worried it's from the traveling.

I also had the three week stall. As well as a couple others along the way so don’t be discouraged if this isn’t the only one. I am almost 8 months out now and while the loss has slowed I am still losing. Just stick to your plan and the weight will just start dropping again.

The three week stall others mentioned is very common. Just stick to your plan and the weight loss will pickup. I never had any problem drinking liquids either. I tried to slow down but if I drink without thinking about it I realize I can drink as much as i did pre surgery.

1) you've hit the infamous three week stall. Happens to probably 90% of us. Just stick to your program and stay off the scale for a few days. It'll eventually break and you'll be on your way again. It usually lasts 1-3 weeks (that "gain" is likely just water weight) 2) yes - fluids go right through you. Some people have a hard time getting them down, but I never did. I didn't drink any differently than I did before surgery. Your stomach will tell you if you're going too fast.

I had my Gastric Bypass surgery on October 6th. I was experiencing the three-week stall myself - just couldn't lose an ounce. Stepped on the scale this a.m. and I am down 2 lbs 4 oz! I knew about the stall and I just kept with the plan. It's now broken and I'm losing weight again! If I can encourage you in any way, I hope you just stick with the plan. Leave the scale alone for a week or two. You will be happy when you see that you've broken the stall! 😀

it's the infamous three week stall. Happens to about 90% of us. If you do a search on this site for the "three week stall" (it's so common it even has a name), you'll find over 17,000 posts on it. And no, I am NOT kidding. just stick to your plan and stay off the scale. And know that it'll eventually break and you'll be on your way again. It typically lasts 1-3 weeks.

happens to about 90% of us. If you do a search on this site for the "three week stall" (yes, it's so common it even has a name), you will find over 17,000 posts on it. And no, I am NOT kidding. just stick to your plan and stay off the scale for a few days - and know that it will eventually break and you'll be on your way again. It usually lasts 1-3 weeks.

I had a few stalls. One lasted three weeks and I was worried it was the end of the loss but the loss picked back up and slowly but surely I continue to lose. Just stick to your plan. Oops. Looks like your loss did pick back up. Glad to hear it.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean, either, but if you mean you've stalled this week, then you're experiencing the infamous "three week stall" that probably 90% of us experience. Just so you know, this will likely just be the first of many. To get through it, just stick to your program and stay off your scale for a few days. Your weight loss WILL start up again (although probably not 30 lbs - losses really slow down after the first month). if you want to read more about the stall, do a search of this site on the three week stall. Last time I checked, there were over 17,500 posts on it (and no, I am NOT kidding..)

Hi everyone, I need some support and advice because I feel like I am failing so bad right now and I am so frustrated. I am almost three months post op. I lost 20lbs On my own before surgery. My surgeon was very strict and I only could have proteins shakes and water. I hated the protein shakes and ended up just having water a lot of the time. Especially after surgery, with a liquid diet I had mostly water. My surgeon wasn’t concerned. However, right after my surgery I lost a lot of weight really fast. The first month I lost about 30 pounds. It started slowing down the second month when I started eating especially. Second month I lost about 14 pounds. However about halfway through the month I started slowing down and hit plateaus. In the third month I have lost only 5 pounds. Is this normal? I went from 320 and am now at 250 or so. I have lost inches in the last months so I know SOMETHING is happening. But I feel like a failure and my surgeon absolutely is no help. I am realizing I haven’t got any if the support I need from him. He wants me to eat once a day, and I have never been able to do that aside from maybe day one of eating. My body is hungrier than that. It has gone from two a day total to two or three times a day with a snack. This seems on par with everything I’ve read but my surgeons words and requirements are really triggering my sense of failure. Paired with my extreme stalls the shame and guilt is intense. I work out 2-3 times a week pretty intensely and know m I’m building muscle. I also was struggling to drink all my water until last week. My foods consist of mostly cheese, meats, and veggies. I had crackers when I was sick the second month as well as a food two other times with minimal amounts of flour. I believe I am in ketosis all of the time and have not gotten out of it. I can eat 1-1.9 oz a day. Sometimes I eat until I’m full, but I’ve only had 3 or so times I’ve ate until I was past full. I’m definitely high anxiety on this and I know that is part of the issue. Anxiety causes stress which can hold weight but also make me want to eat more. Any thoughts?

You're right about where I was when I started (I was 392, 375 when I started the weigh-in process, bounced between 350-400 for ten years). I am almost five weeks out and a week from tomorrow I can start slowly re-incorporating weights back into my life (the barbell is one form of therapy...). Hoping to get down to 240 or so. I was 220 when I was playing rugby and had a flat stomach, so I think 240 some (*cough25cough*) years later is a decent goal for me. Currently in my three-week stall. Sigh. Get going body, I'm feeding you plenty.

Hello fellow September surgery buddies, I’m 18 days post op. Eating a little better now that I’m on soft foods. Talked to my dietician yesterday and my biggest gripe is remembering to take tiny bites and eat very slow and chew thoroughly. I forget sometimes and eat too fast and then I have a horrible uncomfortable pain where it feels food is stuck. But anywho my question for anyone really is, is it just me or has anyone else noticed that other drinks go down way easier than water? I have to take the tiniest of sips of water and wait but with tea for example I can sip more easily and without issue. Just thought that was interesting. Lol I had my surgery 24Sep and I was 210 before surgery and am now 197. But I’m pretty sure I’m in the 3 week stall people talk about as I’ve been this weight for a week. But I’m proud of the changes I’m seeing. I took a pic today to compare it and I can tell a slight difference already. There were times I was second guessing the surgery but I can now walk two miles without a lot of pain. I have osteoporosis and arthritis and break bones easily so the 30 + pounds I gained in the last year put a lot of pressure on my joints. I’ve broken an ankle three times and had a broken back. Just some background info, I started at 227 pounds. I was about 222 in the black dress and today at 197.

You've got some hoops to jump through, but don't be nervous. I'm a little less than a month past surgery and I already wish I'd done this 10-15 years ago. You'll need to figure out what your insurance requires in order to cover your surgery. This could be a period of supervised diet, it could be a requirement to lose a certain number of pounds or a percentage of your excess weight, or it could be as easy as just a few consultations and clearances. They usually want to make sure you'll be able to stick to the strict way of eating in the post-op phase. Then the hardest part is the pre-op diet. Most surgeons require some amount of liquid diet before the surgery in order to perform the surgery more safely. Some of us call it the "liver shrinking" diet. It's best if you step down over a few weeks. Replace one meal a day with a protein shake (use this time to audition shakes, though your tastes might change post-op so don't go crazy buying stuff). Then the next week replace two meals a day. Then the week or two that you have to do all liquid, go all in on liquid. Get off alcohol, caffeine and sugar as soon as you can—like now. Just accept you're going to have headaches and plan for them. You won't be able to have these things post-op, at least not immediately (and depending on what surgery you have, sugar may be off-limits period) Have an economy size box of Gas-X (chewable simethicone) for the few days after surgery, because you will want to burp out all the surgical air they inflate you with to be able to operate. Don't overpack for the hospital. You'll be exhausted. But do bring an extra long charging cable for your phone/tablet. Measure yourself—neck, upper arms, bust, gut, waist, hips, thighs, calves—and do it once a week for the first little while after surgery. I hit a stall about three weeks out (this is extremely common) and for the better part of a week I didn't lose any weight. But I lost a surprising amount of circumference, and that made me feel better. You've got this!

My scale comes with an app called FitIndex that I really like. It also has a fancy smart tape measure that I bought so I can measure myself for the times when weight loss stalls. I am about a month out and lost 9 lbs on my pre-op diet and 35 lbs. in the first month post-op. I'm currently in the dreaded three-week stall, just continuing what I need to do and I know it'll resume eventually.

A stall is very common between 3-5 weeks out. If you search this site there are more than 17,000 posts about the “three week stall”. Just stick to your plan and let your body sort itself out. The weight loss will continue.

Others said it already but yes the three week stall is a thing. Just keep doing what you are doing. Stay off the scale for a while if that helps and trust the process. The loss will pick back up shortly.

yep - it's the infamous three week stall - right on time! Happens to probably 90% of us. If you do a search for it on this site, you will find over 17,000 posts on it (as of yesterday when I looked, 17, 501 to be exact. And no, I am NOT kidding..)

I'm having my first stall, and I'm in my second week post-op. It's super frustrating, so I feel you. I'm also struggling to eat the quantities of pureed food my dietician wants me to eat, so it's ... a tough time. But having read up on what stalls are and why they happen, I'm feeling a lot less stressed about it. I've scrambled my insides in a traumatic way, so it's fair enough that my body is suddenly calling TIME OUT to have a regroup and a think about how to deal with the re-wiring. Staying off the scale, and just taking it slower. I'm managing the constipation with Benefibre in my protein water and shakes when I have them, veg in my purees and I'm on prescription laxatives every night. So far I'm managing to be regular every three days.

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!

it's the infamous three-week stall. Almost all of us experience that. It's called the three-week stall because it USUALLY happens the third week, but not always. Yours is a little early. Just stick to your plan and stay off the scale if you need to. And know it'll eventually break and you'll be on your way again. Stalls typically last 1-3 weeks. if you want to see how common this is, search "three week stall" on this site. You will find over 17,000 posts on this. And no, I am NOT kidding... P.S. I'm bored so I did the search for you. Here you go. We're now up to 17,501 posts on it! https://www.bariatricpal.com/search/?q=three week stall

it's the infamous three-week stall. Almost all of us experience that. It's called the three-week stall because it USUALLY happens the third week, but not always. Yours is a little early. Just stick to your plan and stay off the scale if you need to. And know it'll eventually break and you'll be on your way again. Stalls typically last 1-3 weeks. if you want to see how common this is, search "three week stall" on this site. You will find over 17,000 posts on this. And no, I am NOT kidding...