Discouraged and I just want to binge.

Today I was weighed at my PCP's office and I've lost a whopping 1/2 pound since my first post-op appointment on 7/22. I don't have a scale at home so I was surprised and upset.  I immediately went into negative thinking/ pre-binge mode, like "Why should I bother? I'm doing what I'm supposed to and it doesn't matter. I knew I would be the exception and the surgery wouldn't work for me". It doesn't help that my moods are a mess anyway; in addition to the regular post-op hormonal issues I suspect my anti-depressants are no longer being absorbed (seeing the psych on Friday for that).  My s/o wants to be helpful but when I get upset and angry HE gets upset and angry that he can't fix everything and that doesn't help at all. I just want to send him home and be alone and eat in peace. But I thought I would try posting first and see if the urge goes away.

Thank you for listening to me whine.

Rachel

this is all normal.  Your current loss and all of your feelings.
Keep following your plan.  The weight will come off.  Make sure you are getting in your fluids and protein.

Sarah

Sorry to hear that you are feelling so low.  I am currently in a stall too.  Our bodies are in shock right now and instinctively protects us by trying to hold onto every calorie and fat cell.  That would work well for us if we were on a deserted island... but in reality it IS discouraging.  We'll move out of this stall and the weight will continue to come off and sheesh you lost 22 pounds already?!  That is just plain awesome. I don't know if you've already arranged this, but maybe the help of a therapist who specializes in eating issues is in order.  Also, do you have bariatric support groups near you?  Support through these two avenues is so important, in my opinion. Good luck to you!

From what I've been reading on here this is normal.  Everyone is afraid he/she will be the ONE PERSON who just doesn't lose any weight.  There's no way you won't lose.  Just keep doing what you're supposed to--no bingeing, which might actually hurt you!  Pretty soon it's going to be really exciting when the weight starts falling off and you need a whole new wardrobe.

I just posted about this last week.  I'm 6 weeks out and STILL at that very 3 week stall.  Last week though, a wonderful poster had some great info that I feel is worth sharing.  Hang in there. Trust me, the surgery DID work for you!! Here ya go!

"At last month's support group meeting, I only spoke for a half an hour to intro the group and do the "round robin" around the room. But I let something slip that got a lot of reaction in the room. I can't even remember WHY I said it but it was like an "a-ha" moment across the room. It slipped out for the tiniest reason but hit home with a lot of the newbies in the room.

I keep forgetting that so many people go into surgery not knowing as much as I did when I went into surgery. I need to remember this and remind the members of things that they might not know in the future.

When I was going through surgery, I was ready for and expecting the inevitable 3rd to 7th week stall. I often forget that some newbies don't know to expect it. They should. You should be expecting it when it happens so you know that it is coming and you are mentally prepared for that period when the scale doesn't budge early out.

(and don't forget to take your measurements every week early out too so that you have something else to measure yourself by other than the scale).

When your body first goes into surgery, it knows shortly afterward that it is starving. It needs food but you are taking in such little nutrition after surgery that it tries to sneak your glycogen stores. Glycogen stores are the "quick energy" stores that allow you for instance to run out quickly if a mouse is on the floor. It's your "instant energy" in your body.

So your body thinks "hmmm...it's just a little hurdle, I'll get my energy from the glygogen stores".

Well after a few weeks of this, your body realizes that this is not a short term thing anymore. It realizes that using energy from your glycogen stores isn't very efficient and very long term. So it has to THINK a bit.

(This is where the stall comes in).

Then it says "A-hah!!!!". It realizes that it has a lot of fuel on your body - your fat stores, so it's going to start burning some energy from there and shrink those fat cells.

Then the body will resume into full burning mode and guess what? The scale will start moving again.

This is a GREAT things when it happens. Although it sucks that the scale doesn't move, it means that is going to start burning the stored fat you have (especially the stuff in your butt! LOL!).

So be happy about that inevitable stall - it's fat burnin' season!

Dawn"

Binging is so not the answer. Plus if you did you would end up in the hospital. I am 6 wks out and can only eat 1/4 a cup of food.
 
Ok so about the weight. Totally normal. I was so mad when the 1st week I "only" lost 8 lbs. My NUT explained what all the PP's are saying. Just keep following directions and it will be all good.
Now onto the anti-depressants...Personally, I had all mine switched to non ER before surgery and had to up my "mood" meds. I felt great physically and mentally other than being angry and raging, no depression though. After they upped my "mood" med the rage lessened. So yes, talk to your dr about it. I of course felt like I was the only one who this wasn't going to work for too. Try not to let the numbers get to you. (((hugs))) if you need to talk feel free to PM me.

Thank you, all of your responses are helpful and greatly appreciated. I've read so much about stalls but it didn't occur to me that could be MY problem. Somehow I didn't know it was normal for that to happen this early out. I'm not one to reach out a whole lot - I usually withdraw and isolate. But I'm glad I did this time. I will take the advice to heart and I will not eat to hurt myself. Instead of sending s/o home maybe we'll play a game or something to take my mind off everything. I guess this is what finding alternatives to emotional eating is all about. Difficult stuff!

Yes, very difficult.  We have to train our minds to NOT think about food.  (And all the food *****n tv doesn't help!) It's hard to keep yourself busy when you're used to eating snacks and such at certain times.  For me, not having snacks (my NUT said 3 meals + 1 protein shake a day..NO SNACKS) has been the most difficult.  But it gets easier and easier as the weeks go on.  Just hang in there.  Feel free to add me and if you wanna chat, I'm here too.

i was just about to go and get that post that Diane C. posted last wee****il i saw she had already posted it,,,it helped me so much,,when i posted about my stall as well,, i can't seem to break the 240 mark,,i go up a couple of pounds and down a pound,,it was driving me crazy of course the problem for me was i made the mistake of buying a scale,,so i became chained to it..LOL,so after everyone lovingly gave me the traditional "step away from the scale" speech,i put it up and use a tape measured every now and then and am surprised to see my body is ,,,reforming??? i guess ? ,,because being at the docs friday i still weigh 240 but the inches are different,,

Ya' know Rachel,,I am not one to reach out either,,but i am so glad 'WE' did,,,i'm here everyday ,feel free to write or add me if ya' ever want to chat

I'm about 16 months out from surgery. I lost 100 lbs. the first 6 months and stopped losing. I am hungry all the time. I find myself craving crackers, pistachios, pretzels, and ice cream. I am so angry with myself when I give in to my cravings. I go to the support group monthly and come home with renewed hope. Then I start feeling hungry again. I know it's head hunger but it still feels real. Any ideas????