Question:
4th Week and at a Plateau. Anyone lose less than 10 lbs and then have a Plateau?

9 days before surgery I was 320 lbs. My surgeon put me on a 1000 calorie low fat and sugar diet to get rid of my fatty liver in order to make my BPD surgery go easier. In that 9 days I lost 18 lbs and weighed in at 302 the day of my surgery. 4 days after surgery I weighed in at 319 and it was explained that it was water weight and that it would fall off in no time...as part of the healing process. I ate my pureed diet for the first 2 weeks post op and then ate "normally"...until full, protein first as instructed by the surgeon and nutritionist. I hit 300 lbs at the end of 2 weeks post op and then lost 10 more weighing in at 290 week three. Since then I haven't lost an ounce. It has been 1.5 weeks and no loss. The problem is that the way I see it, I lost 19 lbs of water weight (that I didn't have before the surgery) and 10 actual lbs of weight...and now nothing for a week. I feel like I shouldn't be hitting a plateau after only 10 lbs of actual loss (even though I see that a plateau at 3-4 weeks seems to happen to a lot of people) because those that do hit them at 3-4 weeks have already lost about 20-30 lbs. I called the doctor and he said that the BPD weight loss works on Fat malabsorption and that since I cut out most of the fat I was intaking that the weight loss stopped and that I need the fat intake to promote losing. He told me to eat like I did before the surgery and the weight will start to come off again. I am so frustrated and confused. I am eating close to nothing..getting in all my vitamines and as much protein I can via protein drinks and meat only meals. Is anyone else in my boat? I would love to hear some words of advice or encouragement.    — Melissa M. (posted on April 15, 2002)

April 16, 2002
I had the rny so my situation is different. I lost 29lbs before hitting a plateau I'm at week 5 and my plateau finally broke. You lost the same amount before hitting a plateau 28 lbs. you just happened to have lost it before the surgery. You lost all the water that gives us all that quick loss. The plateaus are brutal but it will end mine ended as soon as I doubled my water intake. I hope this helps a little.
   — Alison N.

July 30, 2002
I lost 16.8 lbs in the first 10 days then nothing the following week. The next week I lost 3 lbs and the week after that I had gained 2lbs. I have been exercising like crazy and don't understand this failure. I also didn't have any problems with nausea and can eat just about anything. However, it seems that i can eat more than I should. I can eat a 6oz carton of yougurt without any discomfort. Is anyone else going through the same thing?
   — Xochitl D.

March 19, 2005
Yourjourney sounds almost like mine. I also gained about 15lbs of fluid in hospital and it took one week for me to lose it and then I only lost 9lbs and then hit a plateau for a week and then I lost 8 more pounds and then another plateau for two weeks!! and then another 6lb loss. I guess I am only meant to lose every other week. I am 2 1/2 months out and I am finally down 43lbs. Slowwwwwwwwww! Or so it seems but actually averaging about 4lbs/wk. So by Weight Watcher and Atkin standards that is fast. I am sure that you are like me, I don't really don't care how long it takes as long as it keeps up til I reach goal. I'm just terrified it will stop at 43lbs. But I have read several journals of people who lose at the same rate as us and almost all of them get to goal +some. They also seem to have less of a problem with sagging. Good luck. E-mail me and we will cheer each other on.
   — pammatria

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