Ok so, I had surgery on 3/30/11.  I have lost 23 lbs.  Now at almost 4 weeks, I am really having a lot of mixed feelings.  I am extremely constipated.  That sucks puppy nuts all by itself.  I can only manage to eat about 2 tsp of food, unless its soup.  Well, we know soup is not the greatest food.  I can never seem to get enough water in.  If my pee seems too dark yellow to me I try to increase my water intake, bu****er to me is horrid now.  I have been off from work, so my paychecks are **** welfare checks and I am out of protein powder, and broke.  I was hoping to lose 40lbs befor I returend to work.  I don't want people to say, "did ahe even lose any weight"?  I have a hard time with the vitamins, so I am expecting to crash any time now. 

I also never realized what a big part food played in my life.  I had a long discussion with my therapist yesterday about the big gaping hole I now have because i can't eat but 10 oz of food a day.  What in the hot pajamas am i going to do.  I swing between feeling really good because I HAVE lost 25lbs and pissed off because I want to have a regular meal.  My mom is 8 yrs out and made it look so easy.  I can not recall what she ate. She said she never drank a protein shake.  Where am I going wrong.  I just want to cry sometimes, and I do.  I am so angry with myself sometimes for having to have even gotten to this point in my life.  I was watching some large people at a church function, much larger than me, piling up thier plates.  i was thinking I never ate like that, DID I?  I am soryr to be so random, I am just having a horrible week and really feel like giving up.  I want to smash my scale.  It keeps flipping between 253.6 and 255.  

You are in a bad place right now, barely a month out. In a few weeks, it will all be different, I promise. My first several days of semi-solid foods was bad, it felt like I could not eat anything. I just recommend you keep on drinking all the fluid you can, and if water is gross, add something to it you can tolerate.

My SIL had surgery eighteen months ago and she drank ONE protein shake, proclaimed it gross, and moved on. She's 144 lbs down now and looks great, but she never got her protein in or exercised and honestly I can see that difference in her body. I think we all know the weight is going to come off over time but the healthier you do it the better off you are in the long run!

Stay off the scale. I had to put mine away, it was so frustrating. I remember crying one day last week when it said I gained 2.5 lbs. I thought, "how in the hell do you eat 600 calories and throw up and GAIN weight!!" It will drive you nuts. I only intend to weigh once a week now, and I stashed my scale under the huge stack of blankets and comforters in my downstairs closet storage.

I feel like things came together for me regarding the food, acceptance, etc., between 6-8 weeks. I am eight weeks out today and I've lost 40 lbs and definitely in a stall....but that is ok. It will all happen.

Just think about before - when have you ever lost 25 lbs in that short of a time period?

It is not uncommon to have these separation anxiety feelings about food and eating.  Take a deep breath and remember why you did this.

There were certain things you knew (or should've known) before you did this--such as your food intake would be greatly reduced, the types of food you can eat are different, and there is a lifetime requirement for vitamin supplements.  You also must get your water in daily.  Try it with lemon, or try it room temperature.  Put on those big girl panties and do what you are supposed to do.

Also, don't set numbers that you feel like you must reach to be successful.  You've lost 25 lbs in a month....A MONTH!!  That is amazing.  As far as protein powder, I have never had a protein supplement--I started from day 1 getting protein from food.  If you cannot afford them, call your doctor and ask for an eating plan that will give you protein.

Yes, you are probably in denial about how much food you used to eat--most of us are/were.  Lets face it, if you didn't eat that much before, how did you get obese?  This is a major life changing event.  You must be committed to the required changes to be successful. 

Give yourself time to heal and follow your plan.  You will be just fine.  And stop setting number goals for yourself--try setting water goals or protein goals each day.

I wish you the best on your journey.

Kim

 Keep the faith, this is a marathon not a sprint! Pack your scale away and kiss others' opinions of your weight loss goodbye b/c this is ALLL ABOUT YOU! Just keep on track as much as you can, maybe contact your program and see if they have any protein samples to donate???

Nixmommie I remember feeling the same way when I was around 4 weeks out. I couldn't eat anything.  Couldn't poop. Couldn't drink without taking long pauses in between sips.  I experienced my first stall at 4 weeks also.  I think it's normal at that time to get frustrated because you are in the hardest stage of the process in my opinion. I hated everything and everybody at that stage.  Things always get their worse right before they get better though.  Sometime around week 6 you will start feeling much better believe me.  I felt like a totally different person.  I can give you some suggestions that I tried.  I read on the boards that the calcium pills cause constipation so I skipped them for two days and took Dulcolax and was able to get in a good poop. That alone should make you feel much better.  I also couldn't drink tap or bottled water so I found mineral water and put lemon juice in it to cut the taste.  For some reason mineral water goes down smooth.  Try the Wegman's brand mineral water if you have one near you. I recently started drinking it and the taste is much better than Pelligrino and doesn't have carbonation like Perrie'.  I also hate the protein shakes. Mainly because they are sweet and I find that sweet foods make me gag now.  So, I purchased some frozen strawberries and peaches and will be trying the powder in a smoothie to see if I can tolerate it better.  As far as the scale, try picking one day a week to weigh yourself.  Our weight fluctuates daily because of water retention and hormone inbalances. So what you see as a weight gain is really just temporary water retention.   I pray your job situation improves soon. I know it sucks having to worry about money when you are trying to recover but at least you are able to get in some much needed rest right now. 
BTW, I just ranted on my blog about my own weight gain so I am going to take my own advice about not worrying.  The weight will definately come off so...

You are being way to hard on yourself.  You have to give your body time to adjust to your new way of life.  Your vits are essential.  You DO NOT want to become malnourished.  Screw those at work if they criticize you.  One cannot expect to lose 50 lbs in one month.  Remember, everybody is different.  25lbs in one month is AMAZING!!!!  Go with it girl!  Search protein samples on this website.  A member was kind enough to put to get free/very inexpensive protein shakes from different companies.    Tuna is a great source.  Eggface.com is a great website.  On the bottom of CleopatraNik's posts is a website for great recipes....I worry that depression may have set in with you.  Contact your doc, your nutrionalist to get help and to see if they have samples or something. 
I pray that you have the strenght to get through this rough patch in your new life. 
Blessings!

Oh My... I am so sorry you are feeling so bad... It will get better, I know it seems so hard & crazy right now but you are very early out. Give yourself time... your mind, body & heart are still adjusting to this life change that you have chosen. I will keep you in my prayers... Keep the Faith!!!
Hugs
Trish

First and foremost, you have to get unconstipated.

I also deal wi this and I know it can be completely disabling.

I took Milk of Magnesia for immediate relief ( the next morning) , and followed that with a daily dose of Miralax ( or the generic version).

At 6 months out, I still need this everyday or I am miserable.

Good luck and I will be thinking about you!

I am so sorry that you are feeling so down!  I just wanted to share what has helped me with water intake.  There is this new stuff called MiO - it's near Crystal Light in the store - and it really helps to flavor the water so it tastes good to drink. It is $4 a bottle, but it lasts a long time.

Hang in there and try to think of all the things that made you decide to do this in the first place! You have come SO far - from all the months before the surgery, the surgery itself, the healing of the incisions - don't give up now!  You can do it!!!!!!!

i am a month out also an 25 lbs is great.. i lost 14 lbs in a month and i think its great 14 lbs lower then i was when i started this journey.. so be happy with your 25 its progress!!!  Protein shakes are very yucky!! i still havent found one i can deal with either.. i get mine from foods all i eat is protein.. prob things i shouldnt be right now but its all protein.. good luck an focus on you!!