So help me out here. The day of surgery I weighed 225. Day after surgery 227. Today I weight 230! I've been following my liquid diet to a t... and we're talking clear broth, tomato soup, slimfast shakes, crystal light, tea. Maybe...just maybe 800 calories a day. What's going on!!! Please advise! :thumbup:

As has been stated already - it happens, Fluid buildups after surgery, I gained weight for 3 days then held it for 2 more and then started down. I agree, stay off the scale for the first week -- let your body heal from the surgery.

BTW: My wife just had her lap band surgery late this afternoon and is doing well so far.

Rapid "weight" gain like that is just Water weight most of the time. If you are eating a lot of canned Soups and the like they have a LOT of sodium (salt) in them, which will make you retain water.

You are probably struggling to get your water in as well, trying not to drink 30 mins before, or 30 mins after eating and eating every 3-4 hours is a real challenge (but you'll get the hang of it). This also contributes to the water retention because just as your body stores fat when you don't give it enough food, it stores water when you are not getting enough fluids in.

Now you're saying, "How can I not be getting enough fluids if I am on a liquid diet?" Right? Well the liquids in your diet, the soups etc., are going to fill your nutritional needs and while they are technically liquid, there is not enough liquid in them to properly hydrate and nourish your body.

Lastly, the surgery and pain medication coupled with the lack of solid foods and reduced amounts of liquids can constipate you in a big hurry. You don't really want to use a laxative but a stool softener is an excellent idea and maybe a little Fiber supplement to clean house and lighten the load a little.

So, what to do:

1) Try low sodium soups, etc.

2) Drink as much water as you can during your windows of opportunity

3) Keep things moving in the lower GI (the softener)

4) Most importantly, and most difficult, put away the scale!

You should not be worried about any significant weight loss/gain/daily fluctuations right now (or ever for that matter). I used to weigh myself everyday and I was driving myself nuts and often times not doing the things I needed to because I was either mad at the scale if it went up, or scared of it going back up when it did go down.

I even convinced myself that I shouldn't workout as much (or at all) because my weight went up every time I went to the gym. Not significantly of course, but it went up because muscle weights more than fat and I didn't like it.

Try to focus on what we call NSVs, or non-scale victories. Tying your shoes on the top of your foot, getting a towel to completely cover your body (even if it is a beach towel at first), having your pants fall down when you put your cell phone in your pocket, being able to breathe when you reach the top of the stairs....Priceless! All the wonderful little things that will happen to your body as you lose weight and get healthier. Things that you won't see on the digital scale readout. Things you might not see at all if you are only looking at the arbitrary number on the scale. Be a loser, not a number.

I am 15 months post-op and down 108lbs! I started in a size 24 and I just bought a size 10 jeans for the first time since I was 12 years old! The band is your tool belt, but you still have to build the house, patiently. Good luck and feel free to e-mail me anytime.

Laura - you are a genius. I've reread your post like 10 times and each time I feel better and better. Thank you for taking the time to write so much fantastic information. I really appreciate it. And it helps me to understand what's going on with my body. People like you are what make the world a better place!!!

Rapid "weight" gain like that is just Water weight most of the time. If you are eating a lot of canned soups and the like they have a LOT of sodium (salt) in them, which will make you retain water.

You are probably struggling to get your water in as well, trying not to drink 30 mins before, or 30 mins after eating and eating every 3-4 hours is a real challenge (but you'll get the hang of it). This also contributes to the water retention because just as your body stores fat when you don't give it enough food, it stores water when you are not getting enough fluids in.

Now you're saying, "How can I not be getting enough fluids if I am on a liquid diet?" Right? Well the liquids in your diet, the soups etc., are going to fill your nutritional needs and while they are technically liquid, there is not enough liquid in them to properly hydrate and nourish your body.

Lastly, the surgery and pain medication coupled with the lack of solid foods and reduced amounts of liquids can constipate you in a big hurry. You don't really want to use a laxative but a stool softener is an excellent idea and maybe a little fiber supplement to clean house and lighten the load a little.

So, what to do:

1) Try low sodium soups, etc.

2) Drink as much water as you can during your windows of opportunity

3) Keep things moving in the lower GI (the softener)

4) Most importantly, and most difficult, put away the scale!

You should not be worried about any significant weight loss/gain/daily fluctuations right now (or ever for that matter). I used to weigh myself everyday and I was driving myself nuts and often times not doing the things I needed to because I was either mad at the scale if it went up, or scared of it going back up when it did go down.

I even convinced myself that I shouldn't workout as much (or at all) because my weight went up every time I went to the gym. Not significantly of course, but it went up because muscle weights more than fat and I didn't like it.

Try to focus on what we call NSVs, or non-scale victories. Tying your shoes on the top of your foot, getting a towel to completely cover your body (even if it is a beach towel at first), having your pants fall down when you put your cell phone in your pocket, being able to breathe when you reach the top of the stairs....Priceless! All the wonderful little things that will happen to your body as you lose weight and get healthier. Things that you won't see on the digital scale readout. Things you might not see at all if you are only looking at the arbitrary number on the scale. Be a loser, not a number.

I am 15 months post-op and down 108lbs! I started in a size 24 and I just bought a size 10 jeans for the first time since I was 12 years old! The band is your tool belt, but you still have to build the house, patiently. Good luck and feel free to e-mail me anytime.

Hey, don't beat yourself up. I don't feel like I'm loosing fast enough either. But after surgery your swolen. My best advise...don't get on the scale everyday! Before surguery I was 243 (November), first visit back doctor 239, first fill was December, January weigh in 231, March today 229, ....the Doctor says a good healthy 1-2 pounds per week...so only weigh once per week, at the same time of day....i found the exercise helps. Becuase i didn't exercise last month. Remember not enough calories and your body might think your starving ideal is about 1200.

Thank you all so much for responding to this question! I was just banded Monday (Mar 17) and I stepped on the scales this morning only to find that I had gained two pounds! :wink2: Feeling rather discouraged, I just did a google search and found this chat room and I feel so much better now!

Of course, it makes sense that I've retained Water -- if feel pretty sore and bruised and the pain meds make you retain water, too -- so now, I will stay off the scale until next week and take it slow! :wink2: Thanks for being here everyone!

Edited March 20, 200818 yr by lglenn3000
misspelling

in about a week the pounds will start to drop off (once you go off the pain meds, salty soupds, etc)....and you'll be doing the happy dance!

Thank you all so much for responding to this question! I was just banded Monday (Mar 17) and I stepped on the scales this morning only to find that I had gained two pounds! Feeling rather discouraged, I just did a google search and found this chat room and I feel so much better now!

Of course, it makes sense that I've retained Water -- if feel pretty sore and bruised and the pain meds make you retain water, too -- so now, I will stay off the scale until next week and take it slow! :embaressed_smile: Thanks for being here everyone!

I was just banded March 20th, and yes, I'm up two pounds also... but I have the ketone strips that show whether you are in ketosis or not and I peed on one this morning and I was REALLY burning fat, so i was happy with that. plus, i have a scale that also shows your body fat percentage, and that number has been going down. If you are like me that likes to weigh myself every morning, then get yourself a scale that measures your body fat percentage - that number is way more important that your weight in general.