350+ when did you hit onderland?

For those of you that started higher then 350 lbs, how long did it take for you to hit one-derland?  I am 9 mths out (weighing 227), and my losing has slowed drastically (I'm in another stall ).  I know stalls are normal.  However, I am afraid that I might be done losing .  I am only 5 ft 3.5 inches tall so I still have a LONG way to go.

We are in the same situation.  I had my surgery. Less than two week ago. Still on a liquid or very soft mush diet.  I started out 5ft .3 and  390 pounds .   Had surgery.  I was 335 pounds.  The doctor took off all of lasix or water pills and one of my heart medications.  Well instead of losing weight.  My feet swelled up worst than ever before.  I weighted myself. A week later and I weighted 343 pounds.  So just started taking my Lasix again to get my leg swelling down. Not sure what to do.  Because, The doctor said, Not to get dehydrated. 

What if I never lose weight.  Every say,s it will happen but, When? What if I only lose a hundred pounds . If that.  I am just scared.  I have so much weight to lose.  Most people have to lose their weight within the first 8 months to year before they start to regain.   It only been two weeks and I feel like I am already behind in the game.  And my family keeps looking at like their waiting.  To here good news.  I just want to cry. When have at the very least two hundred pounds to lose. 
   I can even image making it 227 pounds at this point.  I hope able to hang in there and make it all the way. Because., I need some inspiration at this point.

It is very common to have water weight gain post-surgery, especially since they take you off the meds that tend to help with that  and pump you full of liquids after the surgery. You are also likely moving less, which helps with welling and fluid retention, so your "weight" (really water) gain should be expected. My PCP and clinic nurse both warned me that this could likely happen. Doesn't make it easier by any means, but know that it is temporary and it will reverse. You might even hear a swooshing sound as the water weight literally falls off you! =)

It sounds silly, but the absolutely most effective way to combat fluid retention is to drink as much as you can. It helps flush your system, but most importantly it lets your body know that it doesn't need to hold onto the fluid because you are going to keep it hydrated so it can stop retaining the fluid. Stop drinking fluid and your body just keeps retaining water "just in case." Obviously the lasix will help, and so will moving it around as much as you can (which totally sucks when your legs and feet are swollen...not to mention how lovely hot and humid the weather is now which just worsens the problem).

Your body might be retaining water, but it is also losing fat - and sometime soon you will see the water and fat loss show up on the scale and in your clothes. This is just temporary and it happens to lots and lots of people - once again especially if your BMI is higher.

Some people have it stretch on for even a month - so don't despair - but they catch up to "normal" numbers in a real big hurry once everything works itself out. You will also feel several hundred times better once you lose tha****er weight.

It is also very normal to feel depressed and pessimistic, but that will get better too. Your family loves you, and yes they are waiting for a "miracle" weight loss too and probably are worried as well. But no matter what happens they still love you! (And I bet they are super-proud that you had the surgery!)

You came through the surgery just fine. You have a medical - and very obvious reason - for why you have not seen improvement on the scale. Just trust that everything will work out. Focus on one day at a time and not on what happens or happened to "most people" or even one other person. Each of us is different and we are all going to have different results. But it will happen and I know you will do great!

I know exactly how you feel.  I am three weeks post-op and I feel fearful with every new stage I advance to.  I have been losing so far, but I don't want to stall.  I have too far to go! 

I am still pre-op (1 week away), so I cannot help about one-der-land. But I know from the boards and my support group that many, many people continue losing weight years after surgery, especially those that were larger at first. From my (largely anectdotal and hardly scientific) research it seems like the weight comes off fast at first for larger individuals and then switches to slow and steady over a long period of time (with frequent stalls). Lots of times people drop inches rather than pounds - like even several sizes in a week or two. Everyone loses weight differently - and it makes sense that when you have more to lose that there will be a wider range of differences.

And you have done incredible! Maybe you think you have a long way to go, but you have come incredibly far in just eight months!

I hit the ones around 9 months out. There has been alot of stalls. Even now I only lose a average of 1 to 5 lbs a month. There has been months that I have not lost a pound. Useally this is a stall or even because I needed to change either my habits, water intake, or protine intake. I was 384 when I started this process and now im 165. Dont get stressed. Stress dont do anything for you beside cause weight gain. Good luck.

thanks this helps!!

Well... I started at 410 and now, 10.5 months out I am 214.  So... at the rate I'm currently losing (about 12 lbs per month) I'll be in onderland right around my one year surgiversary.

As for slowing down... it is normal.  I think of my fat as holding on for dear life against all the healthy inputs (food and exercise).  I stall for about three weeks and then lose 10 pounds in two weeks and then stall again for three.  It is a cycle that seems entrenched and there isn't much I can do about it other than continuing to plug along with what I know is the right thing to do.

You can do it!

Hally

Thanks!!  Sounds like we are on similar paths.  Provided this stall doesnt last too long, I think I can hit it around the 1 yr mark.

We are ALL DIFFERENT.  Don't be so worried about Onederland, be more concerned with your present health and new abilities.

I have only lost 130 pounds - down from 474.  I am six months out, but I am so much healthier & stronger than I have been in YEARS.  Shoot, I am still well into the 300's, but I am slowly getting there.

Plateaus happen.  Best you can do is objectively look at what you are doing -- could you do better; are you doing the best you can do? 

At nine months, you are NOT done.  Hang in there!
Brenda : )~