Home from the Hospital

I;m home. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. I had to stay a day longer cause I was in so much pain. They did a swallow test to make sure I had no leaks and I didn't thank God, But I'm a bundle of nerves. Is is normal to have gained an excess of water weight? When does the real weight start actually coming off? Is it normal if it doesn't happen for a while?

CONGRATS on making it to the loser's bench!  Glad you're home, too!

First off, get OFF of the scale.  Put it away for at least 2 weeks.  

You have been pumped full of IV fluids (each of those bags weighs about 5 lbs, the nurse told me) and your abdomen was filled with fluid as part of the surgery, and while you've undoubtedly been peeing like crazy, it's nowhere near enough to have shed all the excess fluid pumped into you.  it may take a week or more for your kidneys to process all that and get rid of it.  (And DRINKING your 64 oz a day will help with that process, as it flushes your system, so don't think you can get ahead by neglecting that- HAHA!)

So the answer is that it's completely normal and expected... and the "real" weight will start coming off at the same time that you're shedding the water weight.  So don't worry!

Hang in there and follow the doc's orders to a T -- drink your liquids, get your exercise and WALK, stretch -- and you'll be fine.

Karen

Well not getting on the scale is a good idea but would not work for me.  I was weighted before Surgery and when I got home 3 days later I had gained 15lbs.  4 days after surgery I had all that weight off.  My Surgeon does not do a swallow test because they put a drain in and keep track of what comes out of the drain to verify for leaks.  I am less than a week post op and other than the 15 lbs of weight I took off I have lost an additional 1 lbs but then I am on clear liquids only I hope it comes off a little faster but I really need to lay off the scale and not worry about numbers.  Did you take all you measurements before your surgery, if not take them now, because if you get into a stall you will see that your losing inches and maybe no pounds will come off which will make you feel better about the stall,

I am glad your doing good, you are only 2 days behind me so it will be interesting to compare how both of us are doing.  I wish you the best on your journey

Sandy

Do NOT compare yourselves although close in surgery dates.  It will make you depressed and crazy at some point in the journey.

It's all about percentages....not weight....

It's soooo hard not to compare yourself to others (be it if they had surgery the same day or two years before) but everyone is different..metabolisms....food choices...exercise choices....the list goes on

Pam

Absolutely.  I gained 16 pounds while I was in the hospital for my WLS.  Crazy.  Actually I demanded they turn off the fluids...cause I was "assessing" myself and noticed my ankles were swollen (to the point of "pitting edema" which means I had indents 1/4 - 1/2 " depth when you pressed on them)

It took a good week plus for the water weight to come off.

Welcome home!

Pam

Glad to hear you're home, Bonnie!!!

Julia

I too gained 15# in the hospital, it took a long time for it to come off.  Those IV's are filled with salt.  Don't worry about it.  It took me 6 mos. to lose 86# but I had to lose a lot more than you.  It's been over three years for me and I'm down 266#.  The scale still works and I am obsessive about it.  Every single person has a different journey.  The important thing is not to sabatouge yourself by putting the wrong thing in your mouth.  Follow the food stages and avoid carbs and you will do fine.

Drink, walk, and rest. then do it again.  Follow your doctors orders to the "T". 

Thanks everyone. I got a great nights sleep, went for a walk down the street this am, watching funny movies. I'm feeling fine, sore but fine. I suspected that the weight was from the IV and I am determined NOT to start playing head games with myself. My body is the boss this time.

Sandy glad you are home and doing well. Let's keep in touch. I want so badly to get off the pain meds. They make me loopy and depressed.

welcome home!
try and relax...in a few months, you wont even think about these
water weight pounds :)

Hi Kate. I see your date is coming up. Good luck. Try to relax and trust the staff to take good care of you. I was a nervous nelly for no reason.