Different strokes for different folks....

I've been ready a lot lately about weight loss comparison.  Comparing to others is fine as long as your realize what you're comparing too.  I see people talking about how they are slow losers....fast losers.....yadda yadda yadda.......I don't think many people realize that when you are comparing to others you may not have the true picture of where their post surgical weight loss started.  Many of us don't post the weight we gained the day we had surgery......you know the anywhere from 3-30lbs of water weight that they don't tell you about before surgery.......LOL  

Here is where I'm going with this.....
I only put on 3 lbs from surgery to my weigh in the next day.  I have heard horror stories of people gaining upwards of 30 lbs while in the hospital!  I can see this happening as they not only FILL your abdominal cavity with water to look for leaks before the close you up they also pump you full of IV fluids.  Some surgeons are diligent about removing as much of that fluid as possible while others have a less IMO caring approach and allow your body to clean out all that excess fluid which takes time.  SO when you are looking at that scale stop and remember how much you had to lose AGAIN after surgery......and then when you look at some peoples numbers maybe they aren't as fast a loser as you think they are.....they just didn't have to start as far back as you did.  Get that SW # out of your head when you are thinking overall weight loss before reaching goal.  Think about your AFTER SW instead and maybe your perspective will change.....

Thanks Heather...I'll have to remember that. I do hold a lot of fluid normally. In 2005 I have a full tummy tuck with ab tightening after losing a lot of weight and I had to leave my drains in 2 full weeks LONGER than any patient he ever had and this was a very well established plastic surgeon. I'm wondering if I will hold just as much for this surgery. I need to ask Dr. Davis if he uses drain tubes?? I also saw an earlier reply where you spoke about excess skin. I was wondering this for myself. You said if you have stretch marks. I really don't have any so maybe I won't have much excess skin?? I am big but very hard. Not really any loose skin except a little on my hips. What do you think??

I didn't have any drains with my RNY.  I asked my surgeon if I would be having them and he said they suck out almost all the excess fluid they use so there would be no need.  He wasn't lying either.....I only gained 3 lbs during my surgery!.......LOL

About the excess skin....we are all different.  I don't think you'll skate by with NO loose skin as you will lose weight pretty rapidly.....so it's inevitable.  But you may be one of the lucky ones who's skin bounces back a couple years out......Who knows tho......you may have perfect skin from the get go!......LOL

Hi hon,
Not everyone winds up with loose skin. I don't have any (yet) and am almost 80 lbs down. I think it's genes. (And trust me, I have lots of bad genes. It's just that one of my good ones is in skin elasticity.)
Stay on top of the stretch marks with stretch mark stuff. You look young, so who knows? You may be lucky. I hope so.
Oh, and our hospital doesn't do drains with WLS. They say that's an "older technique" that should be phased out.

Thanks Heather and Rosa...I am going to start exercising now before surgery to try and tighten some areas. Maybe that will help some. If it genes, that's good because mom and dad have good skin! And Rosa...I'm 38 but thanks for the looking young reply It will be nice to get this weight off and actually feel 38 again instead of 65!