Can I have hit a plateau ALREADY?? - ThinnerTimes

electrichoney · 03-14-2007, 08:35 AM

Hello all -- I'm just two weeks post-op, and after I got rid of the 10 or so pounds of fluid I retained in the hospital, I've been losing an average of about two pounds per day. However, for the past two days my weight has been the same. It doesn't seem possible that I wouldn't lose weight on about 800 calories per day -- can I have hit a plateau after only two weeks?! Did anyone else have this experience? If so, how did you deal with it?

I'm having a really tough time right now emotionally -- I still can't sleep in my own bed because I need to be in a semi-reclined position to avoid pressure on my abdomen, I'm stuck at home all day alone because my surgeon hasn't cleared me to drive yet, and this unaccustomed inactivity is driving me absolutely batshit. I feel like crying most of the time out of sheer boredom and loneliness. The only thing making this worthwhile up to now has been seeing the numbers on the scale slowly dropping, and seeing the scale stuck at the same spot for two days is making me feel like complete shit. I apologize for the whining, but I'm just miserable right now. I knew the recovery process would be difficult physically and was prepared to deal with that, but I never expected to feel so depressed. My first post-op checkup is tomorrow, so I hope I'll be cleared to drive at least so I can run my own errands and get out of the house!

If you hit a plateau this early, how long did it last? I know I really shouldn't be weighing myself every day, so it's partly my fault for being so anal about the scale, but I'm sure you all understand how I feel about that!

Cheers to all, and thanks for any responses.

LyndasRoom · 03-14-2007, 08:48 AM

Yeah, don't weigh every day, that is a recipe for disappointment. Our bodies have "settling out" points (she says as she is in the second month of a plateau), and we just have to keep doing what we know is right. You'll feel lots better very soon. Make a list of questions to ask your doc...I promise, you're not done yet!

LisaM · 03-14-2007, 08:55 AM

No, you can't be at a plateau. Plateaus last three to six weeks or longer. I'm a scale addict myself - but you need to set a day that's your "official" recording day for your weight once a week. Other than that, either don't get on the scale, or just note it as an interesting number. I posted on this forum for the first time on my fourth week out from surgery, because I gained a pound, freaking me totally out...

It's OK, you will NOT be the only person in the world that the surgery doesn't work for. Promise.

Deb2 · 03-14-2007, 09:41 AM

I quit losing weight about 3 weeks out and didn't start dropping again for a couple of weeks. From the posts on this forum I see that this is fairly common. I did nothing different to get it going again. Just keep following your surgeon's instructions. Your body is just trying to figure out what in the blazes just happened to it...

Bypassingme619 · 03-14-2007, 09:51 AM

Get rid of the scale. Take it over a friends or a family memebers house you know will allow you to come over once a week to weight. I didn't buy a scale until I was about 5 months out because I knew I would be on it all the time. The emotions you are going through are normal. Are you getting out and walking around the block at least. Every bit of fresh air helps. Rhonda things will get better. It isn't like this forever. I plateau really early in my journey I want to say either 3 or 4 weeks post-op. I felt like crap. But I knew it was going to happen so I delt with it. I had a lot of support so that helped too. I hope everything turns out OK Rhonda. Hang in there.

Rachel · 03-14-2007, 10:13 AM

I had my surgery one day after you and I too like to visit the scale everyday. There were 2 days this week for me that I didn't lose either. I also noticed that I wasn't walking s much as I had been. I have gotten back into Mommy Taxi role which has me spending a lot more time in the car instead of being able to just do what I want to.

Walking also really does help me with the depression. I hope you feel better soon!!

Dyann · 03-14-2007, 10:21 AM

It is a very common occurence early on after a few weeks..Your body thinks it is starving. It will only last a few days and then you will start losing again. You also lost a bit prior to surgery. A casual observation is those who dropped weight pre op don't have as big of a first month.

Miss Kitty · 03-14-2007, 10:27 AM

You have to look at the weightloss over the longhaul. The first 6 weeks I had lost a total of 30 lbs. That averages out to 5 lbs a week. Now for the past 2 weeks I've only lost 2 more lbs. The scales just don't want to move, even though I started working out and I'm much more active. When I look at the big picture, though, at 8 weeks out---I still averaged 4 lbs lost a week and I have had to get rid of a bunch of clothes that were just way too big for me! Look at the big picture and not just a snapshot of what's going on with your body.

AlabamaChick · 03-14-2007, 11:53 AM

You can stop losing this early for a bit. I lost the first month, well could have been less than that, but didnt weigh until end of first month, but then I didn't lose anymore for a couple of weeks after that, so it's normal to stall. Your body is trying to figure out what the heck is going on with you and why it is feeling like it's starving. If you were like me before surgery, your body felt like it was in food heaven because it was so plentiful in huge volumes and now it feels like someone has robbed the house bare and there is not a morsel in sight and it's freakin' out because it thinks it's gonna starve! This is the thing to remember. 1. NOOOOOOOOO you are not the only one this will NOT work for. 2. You don't have a choice but to lose at this stage of the game because it's physically impossible for you to supply your body enough to not lose. This is really not in your hands right now.......you WILL LOSE. You can't stop it if you wanted to. So, stop stressing and sit back and enjoy letting your body do this part for you. Believe me......I know how it feels to be on a plateau. I just got off of a 5-week plateau and I thought it was the end of the road for me. But it did happen and I started losing again. I guess my body is satisfied with me again right now.

LisaBoston · 03-14-2007, 01:49 PM

Your body is adjusting to being traumatized after surgery. No stall yet for you! Keep following the rules, get in your liquids and hang on........it will be a wild ride!

Remember too, that emotions are crazy right now. I was not prepared for the emotional roller coaster...its very normal, but expect that you head will play games with you for a while!