Beginning to doubt VSG

[AmyBee]

Hey all,

I have been lurking on the boards - I don't have a ton of time to post lately, but I had to come here and vent because I'm having a down day, and starting to think that having VSG was not the best idea. This was an extreme step that I took, and I guess I was expecting extreme results, at least for a month or two, and so far, this has been a lead balloon.

I had VSG on May 30. It went great. Not much pain, up and about really quick, have been able to stomach everything I've tried to eat. I also find that I can eat more than many people at my stage, before I start to feel uncomfortable, despite eating slow and chewing and taking small bites. From the day after surgery, I've managed to get in my 70g protein and 64 oz of water, and have been taking my multi since day one. I am eating between 500 and 900 calories a day, mostly in the 750-900 range. I am focusing on protein first, but I was whole foods plant based, for the most part, pre-op, and I was trying to get back to that. I just don't think it's feasible right now, so I haven't been too restrictive in terms of meat/dairy. I've been trying to keep fat to under 30g a day.

I know there is a stall at about four weeks, but my stall really started in week three, and has kept up all this time. I am down about 23 pounds since surgery, but most of that was in the first three weeks post-op. For the past three weeks, I've been gaining and losing the same .5-1 lb. My lab results came back pretty good - just slightly low in Vit A and E, which my surgeon said should even out a bit now that I'm eating more real food, but we're keeping an eye on it. No indications of low iron or ferritin.

I keep trying to remind myself that my hunger and cravings are greatly reduced, which is awesome, and worth it. But part of me doubts whether my surgery is right - like it's been so easy, and shouldn't it not have been easy? Other people who seem to be struggling more are having better weight loss results. (And I know everyone is different, but anecdotal evidence does have SOME value.) I have tried everything to break this stall. I've restricted carbs more, I've tried going back to basics and eating more like I did in the pre-op diet, I've tried getting more activity in... nothing seems to break it. So I find myself having results comparable to what I had prior to surgery, only less consistent, and I've been through this major thing, you know?

It's just so frustrating. I know most likely if I wait it out, 3 months from now my life will be so different, but what if it's not? What if this is all I'm going to lose after going through all this?

[Dutchie]

Don't panic.
You are doing fine.
The 3-week stall has its name for a reason.
Yes, it can last up to more than a week, as you found out.
Do not do anything drastic, just keep following your guidelines as given to you by your medical team.
Eat what you are supposed to eat, drink your daily quotum of fluids.
That's it.

Stay away from the scales for the next days to come.
Hide the darned thing.
Give it away.

You are making yourself crazy, stop doing that.
You can and will succeed, nobody stopped loosing within the first month.

And really?
Struggling means better weight loss?
I thought I'd heard it all by now...

You can and will get through this!

[AmyBee]

Yeah - I don't mean that as literally as it sounds. I just feel like there are people who have been struggling to add foods back in, struggling to get more than 1/4 cup of food at a time, and they are having great results, but I almost feel like my surgery has been so easy, I find myself wondering crazy stuff like did my surgeon not cut off enough of my stomach. You know?

I am also going to the support group. I obviously have some food/body control issues.

Thanks for the encouragement. It's just frustrating. I've been stalled much longer than I've been losing, and I didn't know it would be THAT bad.

[Dutchie]

It IS frustrating!
You are so right about that.
But it will pass and you will lose weight again.
Just hang in there!

[sraebaer]

Just said this to someone else, but stop the negative thoughts! Sounds like you're doing great. My advice is to hide your scale so you don't obsess about it, just follow the program, it works. I have never heard of one person who followed the program and did not lose their weight.

I'm still super-excited and positive about my sleeve, and it's been almost 5 years!

[AmyBee]

I did tell my partner I was going to chuck the scale down the basement steps. Starting to think maybe I should be serious about that!

[sraebaer]

I did tell my partner I was going to chuck the scale down the basement steps. Starting to think maybe I should be serious about that!

Do it! Or have your partner hide it and get it out for you once a month. It just messes with your head.

[Dutchie]

I agree.
Get rid of that thing.
You drive yourself nuts...

[AmyBee]

They hid it, but I always find it... and yeah, I'm going to the support group. LOL.

[mellowjoy]

AmyBee, you're doing fine. Be grateful you're not having any issues. For those that had real issues they would happily trade places with you. My weight loss was slow, very slow. The doctor said that was a good thing and I agree. The slow loss gave me time to build great habits that got me to/below my goal weight and have helped me maintain my weight loss.

It sounds like you're doing everythig right, eaing smaller meals, getting your protein in, and taking your vitamins. The weight will come off and just so you know I also had a few minutes of 'what the hell have I done' but since there is no do over I quckly put those thought behind me and focused on the future.

You'll be successful in your quest for healthy weight loss, just give your tool time to work.

[AnnieG]

AmyBee, be gentle to yourself! You've made a start at a LIFE time change, not a quick fix. I'm old and impatient about life still, but it doesn't improve the quality of your life.
Do something wonderful for yourself that doesn't involve food -- a massage? a new book? a pair of shoes? A day off from electronics? There must be something that tickles you. Take the focus off your outsides.
Be as good to you as you would be to someone else!

[sraebaer]

They hid it, but I always find it... and yeah, I'm going to the support group. LOL.

You need better hiders! Or throw it in the trash and just weigh yourself at the gym or the doctor's office.

[Christie13]

So for me if my weight stalled it usually meant I was not eating enough. I know that sounds counterintuitive but for me it proved true. Just make sure you up your calories with healthy foods like protein and veggies.

[AmyBee]

Still trying to shake myself out of this negativity. On everyone's advice, I did stop weighing myself. Had my partner hide the scale (for reals, this time) and I haven't found it, but I haven't really looked. I don't know that that is making me feel any better, though. I've lost 45 lbs since January, and only one person has indicated that they noticed, and she knew I had WLS, so I suspect that she was being encouraging. I guess, by this point, I was expecting to have noticeable weight loss. I'm trying things to take my mind off it - I'm walking shelter dogs twice a week on my lunch break, volunteering on weekends... but it's kind of always there nagging me in the back of my mind that I have to be not doing SOMEthing right. Very unhappy with my job, too, so working on finding something that doesn't make me miserable, but the frustration of that is adding on... and I'm PMSing, which is probably the basis of ALL of this.

I have just read so many people, a month out from surgery, say their lives are so much better, that they have energy, and renewed zest for life, that they've never felt better, and I'm just not feeling any of that.

Working on channeling this frustrated energy into fixing the things I CAN fix... thanks everyone for your encouragement and support. Hopefully, I'll climb out of this down spot soon.

[Dutchie]

You.Will.Get.Through.This!
You are just starting your journey.
You are still in the learning proces.

Yes, for some people it's a breeze.
Others have to work a little harder to get the hang of it.
But one thing is important: do NOT beat yourself up.
Give it all you can, so you never have to blame yourself.

And, equally important: never, ever compare yourself to others.
Every body is different.
Every journey is different.
We are all unique.

Love yourself, you have taken such a big step towards a new and healthy you!
That was not an easy thing to do.
Do something nice, like having a massage or a nice pedicure.
Pamper yourself a little and then go full steam ahead.
You can do this!
Really.