Question:
Will any new post-ops tell me how much weight you may be losing?
I am now 5 days post-op and feeling very bloated and heavy !!! The scale shows no weight loss- in fact, it shows a gain of 4 pounds - I have rationalized that it is due to the IV fluids running until day of discharge at 125 cc/hr - I keep seeing some postings that say they have lost 10 # or more -- is this true-- FYI - I was considered a "lightweight" --- BMI is 42.9. Thanks for your responses in advance!!! — Kewpidoll (posted on March 8, 2003)
March 8, 2003
When I returned from the hospital, I had also gained some weight. Keep in
mind, your body is going through a lot of changes and needs to adjust. By
2 weeks out, I was down something like 17lbs, but then went through an
extended period of a plateau, without losing anything. Now, at 6 weeks
out, I'm down 25.5lbs and feel great. Try to stay off the scale and not
worry. There's no way you're not going to lose weight...just try to be
patient. Us "lightweights" (a strange notion, indeed) may lose a
little slower, but believe me, it WILL come off! Hang tight... you're
doing fine!
— [Deactivated Member]
March 8, 2003
I am almost 3 weeks out, and according to my Drs. scale I was down 24
pounds at 2 weeks out. She said this was an exception. My sister was
down 17 pounds at her 2 week check up. However, I was not really eating
for over a week as I was readmitted to the hospital with severe
constipation and didn't weigh myself until almost 9 days for the first
time. I don't know how this factors into the matter. You'll be fine.
Good luck.
— Fixnmyself
March 8, 2003
Hi! I am 16 months post op, down 114. I also work in healthcare. As was
mentioned, your body went through much trauma. It will be a slow start but
once it starts watch out! It will come off fast and furious. My tip for
you is, lose as much as you can the first six months as it slows down after
that. And believe me, by the time you are where I am at, it STOPS. I have
been fighting this same five pounds off and on for nearly six months. My
doc says that we will always go up a little, down a little, just like
normal people. I panic a little when I am up but realize it is just five
pounds not 50. You are doing good, sit back and enjoy the ride! Good
Luck!
— purdue_1993
March 8, 2003
Hi, I know exactly how you feel, I'm going through the same thing. I kept
reading about everyone losing 20 pounds at two weeks and 30pounds at 4
weeks and here I was with 7 pounds at 3 weeks. It made me sick. But the
scale finally moved and I'm down 19 pounds in 6 weeks, which still isn't as
much as everyone else on this board but at least it went down and I was
happy. It is very hard not to compare ourselves with other people, but we
are human and that's what we do. So keep you spirits up the best you can
and it will start coming off, good luck, Kelly*
— Kelly* P.
March 8, 2003
I am not a new post op I am 9 months out. But I kept a really good journal
of weight loss in my profile. I was a "lightweight" too with a
BMI of 40. I gained 14 pounds in the hospital from the fluids. Don't
worry it will go away. I hit goal in under six months.
— Linda A.
March 8, 2003
You know we are not supposed to compare ourselves but I have only lost
about twenty pounds at four weeks. I think that is really slow. Like you
I heard all these great results that others have but at least it's going
down. My bmi was 43 and my pre-op weight was 227.
— Delores S.
March 8, 2003
I am almost 3 weeks out and have lost 14 lbs. I also weighed heavier when I
got home from the hospital. I didn't lose anything hardly the first week. I
keep telling myself that my ride will be slower (lightweight) but as long
as it comes off, that is all that matters. Good luck!
— Sandy T.
March 8, 2003
Throw the darn scale away and stop weighing but at the surgeon's office,
otherwise it will drive you crazy! I am SMO and am a little diappointed in
my weightloss as I thought it would be more the first month but now I am
just settling back and living this roller coaster ride. I know it will
come as it can't help with the little bit of food I eat and it's all
protein.
<p>I left the hospital 17 lbs heavier than I entered - obviously all
fluid. The first week I lost the 17 of fluid and an additional 7. The
next 4 days I lost 11, but the hard way diarrhia. The 3rd week I lost 2
lbs - very bummed. The 4th week 5 lbs for a total of 25 lbs for the first
month. I thought I might lose more like 35-40 because I started at 421.
Fortunately I lost 21 before surgery on the protein and veggie diet I was
on for 2 weeks before surgery, so my total at 3 days short of 4 weeks was
46. This was much easier to deal with. I decided to count the 21 because
I would not have lost it had I not decided to go ahead with surgery - I
would never have been on that diet. I have not weighed now since a week
ago Friday and won't until I see the surgeon this Friday. I do not know
what I am losing in lbs but I know I am making great strides in pants
sizes. I have going to have to wash many of the pants I have been wearing
for one last time and get rid of them, they are just way to baggy now.
Although I am going to dry them in the dryer for the first time in hopes I
can shrink them a little more and get a few more weeks out of them. LOL
<p>Please just focus on following your surgeons after surgery program
and it will all work out in the end. It seems that eventually most
lightweights are meeting their goal weight by 9-12 months, so just work the
program!
— zoedogcbr
March 8, 2003
Hi kera I was a light weight too started out at 265lb then lost my 10%
before surgery 242lb and then finially I had surgery 04/nov/02 and now I
weigh 180lbs. But it will differ depending on your lifestyle. My job is
very hard am on my feet all day. I also had some problems due to a blockage
and swelling so I was takeing in food so well in the begining. but am
better now.
— sheri B.
March 8, 2003
I was a lightweight, too. I sloshed home with an excess 15 lbs. of IV
fluids. It took about 7-10 days for that to go away completely. I am also
going to tell you something a little different - and I got this from one of
the many diets I was on. I weigh myself every day. I also made myself a
little graph and I graph my weight every day. Sometimes what looks like up
and down with the same 2 lbs. will actually average out to be a loss at the
end of the week! I now know how to look at trends - what is a temporary
set back and what is truly a plateau (where I am now, darn it!). What
seems like a month at the same weight can maybe be two weeks - it just
seems like forever. As a lightweight, expect your loss to be slower. I
think it also depends on age and length of time one has been overwieght.
I'm 47 and have been overwieght since I was a child. My fat cells aren't
giving up without a real fight! Moreso than someone in their 20's. We
all have different factors that affect our rate of loss, so don't worry -
it will happen. Try to think about where you will probably be in a year.
This surgery works, just be patient.
— koogy
March 9, 2003
I am 12 days post of open RNY. I weighed when I came home and I had at
least 8lbs of fuild retention from in the hospital. My dr requires us to
be on clear liquids with 50g protein for 4 weeks. I am a BMI of 41, on my
scales it appears I have now lost 17 (but 8 of that is that fluid). I go to
the doctor on Mon 10th. Then I will get the offical loss.
— Cindy D.
March 9, 2003
Hi, I'm 3 1/2 weeks post-op and have lost 40 lbs so far, but I was not
considered a lightweight pre op I was 350. I didn't weigh myn self until
my first post-op appt 9 day out, and had lost 11 lbs then. I retained a
lot of fluid also seems to be normal because of the iv.
— Kathy C.
March 9, 2003
I'm not a new pre-op, but check the bottom of my profile for a month by
month weight loss up to a year out. Gaining weight the first week home
from the hospital is the IV fluids..that'll be gone in no time.
— Cindy R.
March 9, 2003
Hi Kera-- I know you won't like what I have to say: maybe it's not such a
good idea to weigh yourself right away. You are a brand new post-op and you
need to concentrate on following your MD's post-op diet, getting your water
in and maybe taking a small walk if you feel up to it. That first week is
so hard and can be so stressful. I didn't weigh myself until a week after
surgery and by then I had lost 16 pounds. I did retain fluid in the
hospital but I also developed slight pancreatitis in the 1st week and had
to be on clear liquids instead of pureed foods, so that explains the big
loss. <p>Your body may also be in hibernation mode where it holds on
to every single calorie because it thinks it is starving. <p>My mom
came out to visit when I was 2 weeks post-op and I made the mistake of
letting her buy me a scale-- she wanted to me to weigh myself every day.
Big mistake: for three days, the numbers went down and then one day, they
went up. Mom freaked, said "You have to stop eating!!" and then
was convinced that something was wrong with the scale. Would you believe
that she wanted to weigh me on that scale in every room of my house? And
that scale gave a different weight in every room. I decided that I will
weigh myself just once a month. I'm sure the weight will start coming off
for you. Give it another week. However, if you think something is wrong,
call your doctor and discuss it. Best of luck to you.
— lizinPA
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