1 month in - I gained weight. How is that possible?

[lulietta2016 8]

I am writing this post as I am waiting to see my doctor for my 1 month follow up. When I got my sleeve (9/21/2016) I was 215 pounds, when I came to my 1 week post op appointment I weighed 201.6 and I thought wow this is just incredible. I am here for my 1 month post op appointment and I weight 202. How is that possible?

The other day I weighed myself at home and was 196 and got pretty excited, sure enough 2 days after I was 199. So I decided to not weigh myself and wait until my appointment. So here I am... waiting for my doctor to figure out what is going on.

Have any of you gone through this within a month of your surgery?

I am a bit disappointed and actually really sad right now.

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[Babbs 14,680]

Don't be sad! It's not real weight gain. That's impossible as early out as you are. It's just your body acting wacky because of the rapid weight loss and lack of food. Happens to ALL of us. Here's the scientific explanation why it happens:

Our bodies use glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, but it is stored in our muscles for quick energy -- one pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs. of Water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when a patient is not getting in enough food, the body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. Then when 2 lbs. of glycogen is used a patient will also lose 8 lbs. of Water that was used to store it -- voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs. that most people lose in the first week of a diet.

However, when the body stays in a caloric deficit state the body starts to realize that this is not a short-term problem. Then the body starts mobilizing fat from adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But the body also realizes that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. As it puts back the 2 lbs. of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs. of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though the patient might still be losing energy content to their body, the weight will not go down or it might even gain for a while as the retention of water dissolves the glycogen that is being reformed and stored.

[ella37 455]

The post above was very informative!

As long as you're sticking to your diet and not drinking milkshakes all day or something it has to be some kind of Water weight!

[sc101071 398]

Don't compare your home scale numbers to your doctors' scale numbers.

[Bufflehead 6,358]

Other possible things to keep an eye out for: Constipation (yes you need to poop in order to lose weight), impending period, meds that might be causing Water retention, and broken/wonky scales. As the poster above said, unless you are sipping milkshakes all day every day, you are not gaining fat.

[theantichick 2,204]

Other possible things to keep an eye out for: Constipation (yes you need to poop in order to lose weight), impending period, meds that might be causing Water retention, and broken/wonky scales. As the poster above said, unless you are sipping milkshakes all day every day, you are not gaining fat.

This. I have IBS and the constipation has made it worse. My weight will stay the same for days and days and then I'll take meds for the constipation and have great success. Then 2 days later I'll be down 2 or 3 lbs.

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[lulietta2016 8]

Hi All, so my doctor said it could have been Constipation and to take an over the counter laxative. I did, and literally it was life changing. I have never needed laxatives so I was a bit hesitant. I felt so much better after and sure enough 2 days later I was 5 pounds lighter.

I guess there is so much to learn through this process.

Thank you all for the support. I was devastated, now I feel much better.

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