Success stories, please.

[AmandaWho 158]

My surgery is tomorrow and I just want to hear some success stories from your first month or 2 after surgery. I keep reading about people freaking out because the weight isn't falling off, so I want to hear stories from people who were content and happy with what and how they lost weight right after surgery.

Thanks!

[B.Annie 290]

I'm not that far out yet, but my entire experience has been a success. Starting just at the week of surgery, I lost 9 pounds on the clear liquid diet and my date was bumped up from the 26th to the 24th. I had the nicest nurses and surgery went very smoothly. I woke up with discomfort but no pain and no drain or anything like that. Just 6 incisions glued shut. I was proactive in drinking Water and getting out of bed so got my catheter out quickly and discharged a day early. I wasn't passing gas except for burping but that was the only issue that made it more uncomfortable. I never woke up "regretting life" like so many because I was prepared mentally for this and expecting a hard first month.
Day 3 post op which was the first day home was the worst. I was having withdrawals of being put under so had major bloating and Migraines. I decided to get off of the liquid pain meds asap and that helped. Along with walking.
I gained 18+ pounds from all of the surgery fluids and swelling (finally weighed myself on day 4 post op) and decided to slowly take a walk around the block each day to help. I lost 11 of the 18 pounds in the last 48 hours due to that and sipping water all day.
It's been tight and sometimes downright uncomfortable, but I've gotten down 60-90 ounces of water each day plus 50-68 grams of Protein (powder mixed with water).
I lost 57 pounds in 3 months preop and at least 11 since surgery 6 days ago.
I did go through a 2 week stall preop and am expecting another stall in a few weeks. I know the reasons behind stalls and how to break them. I keep educated and calm because I have found that the "freak out" moments come from when you expect more than you should.
I've followed every plan given to me and have been successful. I don't expect to fail now because I do expect to have speed bumps that will slow me down. So I've planned how to get over them.
Good luck on your surgery. Take deep breathes and relax after. Enjoy the opportunity of a new life.


HW: 328 (02/21/17)
SW: 271 (05/24/17)
CW:

[Newme17 3,444]

I'm two weeks and one day post op...not quite the month. I don't weigh myself either; forget about numbers!! My clothes are fitting loser, I'm generally a positive happy person, I'm even more so now. I've been told that I just look good by friends who don't even know I had WLS. I follow my doc's orders and I listen to my body now. I don't have to sip my water/drinks anymore! I still can't take gulps, but I can drink nicely. I'm happy I did this and I don't regret it one bit!

[blizair09 3,250]

I was sleeved on September 28, 2016. My insurance required a six-month pre-op diet program. I embraced a low carb way of eating at the beginning of that six month period, and I lost 99 pounds (from 397 to 298) by the day of surgery. I have lost an additional 102 pounds since the surgery, now weighing 196. I have 16 pounds to go until I reach my goal (which I hope to hit by the end of the summer).

I have had numerous stalls throughout the process. Pre-op, I lost 3 pounds per week almost every week. Post-op, I lose 8-10 pounds in as many days, and then I stall for a couple of weeks, and then the cycle repeats.

If you follow your plan, embrace a change in your relationship with food, and get active, you'll be successful, but keep in mind that the weight won't just fall off. You have to work hard for it.

Good luck!

[mylighthouse 782]

Hello,

I lost 20 pounds a couple of months prior to my surgery, starting out at 334 pounds... my highest weight ever.

Since my surgery, which was about 6-1/2 months ago, I have lost an additional 84 pounds. I still have about 65 pounds to go before I get to my "goal" weight.

My weight loss pattern has been much like blizair's as he stated above. I usually lose about 3 pounds a week for a few weeks, then maybe a pound a week for a couple of weeks... then back to losing 3 or so pounds a week. That has pretty much been my pattern for the past few months. During the first two months, the weight came off a little faster. I am in no way discouraged or frustrated when I have those weeks where I only lose a pound. I also hit a couple of stalls a few months back, where I went a couple of weeks without losing any weight. I didn't let that bother me one bit. Stalls are going to happen.

I am encouraged by all of the weight loss, and the way my clothes/sizes have changed. I've gone from a 4-5X shirt to an XL (14-16), I've gone from a size 30 pants to a size 18. I am thrilled.

Blizair is right, follow your plan, work hard at it, and you will be successful!

I have only one regret, that I didn't have the surgery sooner!

p.s. Good luck with your surgery tomorrow and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Edited May 30, 2017 by mylighthouse

[LittleLizzieLilliput 919]

I had my surgery on 10/10/16. I am currently about to move into a size 12 pair of jeans. I fit into my junior high field hockey pullover. I haven't been this thin since I was 14. I am beginning to date again, I am running, I am walking, I am laughing, I am in the sun, I go swimming and jump and play! I DANCE!! Omg I dance so much. I'm so happy. The bottom line is that I'm so, so happy.

My weight? It's slow going but I focus on my cloths size more than my weight. I stayed 188 lbs and went from a size 16 to a size 12 and THEN dropped 4 lbs over night. lol! The scale doesn't mean as much as my actual measurements and my mobility.

Edited May 30, 2017 by LittleLizzieLilliput

[1poundatatime 174]

Hi!

I started this journey weighing 258 lbs and in the 6 weeks pre-op I lost 23 lbs, which put me at 235 on surgery day.

The surgical experience couldn't have been any better. I was up walking the halls 1 1/2 hours post-op. Minimal pain. It just felt like I had done a TON of sit ups. I know some people have a horrible time with gas pain, but I had none. I spent one night in hospital and was discharged first thing in the morning. The best things you can do is move - walk, walk, walk, get some sleep, and keep sipping your water!

Post-op things have gone well. Track your Fluid and Protein intake and aim for getting in a little more each day.

I'm 10 weeks post-op now and just entered "onederland". I now weigh 198.6 So 36 lbs since surgery! I feel amazing and am so happy with my decision to have surgery as well as how things have gone! I couldn't have dreamed of a better experience.

My best advice is to take good "before" pictures of yourself - face and full body - and take measurements! That way when the scale seems to be stuck, you can track progress in other ways. Pulling on jeans that I couldn't get over my hips a couple months ago is the greatest feeling!

Good luck with your surgery!! Keep us all posted on how things go!

[Diana_in_Philly 1,426]

April 2016 I weighed 271.5 - I'm 5'3". I was 5x5. I was squeezing into size 22 pants. Had surgery 8/23/16. I'm 9 months post-op and 94.9 pounds down from my high weight and about 25 pounds from my goal. The size 10 jeans I just bought are getting big and I've given all my 12s to my daughter who is a senior in High School.

The first week or two was tough. But your body is healing from major surgery. Be patient and kind to yourself.

When I look at photos of last year versus now, I can't believe its the same person.

It will come off one pound at a time. You got this.

[AmandaWho 158]

Thank you all so much for sharing your stories! I'm even more motivated for tomorrow now!

[FollowingMyPath 78]

I had surgery 4/17/17. I'm beginning my 7th week post op. I won't lie, the first week was rough. But even then....each day was a little bit better than the last. That pattern has continued since day one. And now, I have much more energy and have lost 42lbs. (Starting weight 345). You will be great! If it gets hard....just remember it's temporary. You will feel wonderful soon [emoji4]

[MBird 298]

I'm only seven days out but it's been easy and smooth for me. I've lost 9 pounds my first week out of surgery, can take in 64oz to 90 oz Water effortlessly, am no longer in pain, only tired, which is normal. I lost 21 pounds before surgery in two and a half weeks.

My nurses were kind, my Doctors were too. No drain, no catheter, 6 incisions, glued.

The first moment that I awoke from surgery I was already chewing and sucking on ice. I was drinking water the first hour. 13 hours later my gas pain was completely gone, I didn't use gas strips because the nurses and docs said they don't work for that kind of gas. I was up and walking three hours after surgery and every three hours from there. I was discharged the next day at 2pm. I also did deep breathing exercises every hour on the hour and in between, it opens the chest and helps with any gas pain.

I burped a little, just before leaving, no discomfort. I bathed before leaving the hospital.

I took painkillers the first two days at home and then stopped completely. I walked every three hours at home, just like I did in the hospital.

I only gained 5 pounds from fluids. Lost it in three days and then some.

I have a great attitude and look for healthy recipes that are puréed and also for when I can eat. I'm very fortunate and blessed to have this surgery, and that it's been smooth for me. What a golden opportunity to change my life!

I'm aware that "stalls" aka plateaus are a normal part of weight loss and are the body's way of adjusting, with or without surgery, whenever anybody is dieting and exercising it's normal and expected. Don't worry about it, just stay positive and move forward. It's a life long journey.

I wish you nothing but the absolute best. Just relax and research, and you'll be just fine ~

[AmandaWho 158]

I'm so happy for all of you and all of your success and I hope I can find the same success too!