I get tons of compliments on how great I am looking and how the weight is falling off but I notice no difference in my clothing. Anyone else? Anyone still think that they are retaining water?

It took me about 6 weeks and 50 pounds before my jeans started loosening up. And then woosh!! I was shrinking fast. I was in 38s for about two weeks. It was crazy.

Ok so I'm not sleeved yet, but I've been through bariatrics before. These are guesstimates that vary from person to person, but you'll get the idea. So, a couple of things to keep in mind...

For the first 3 - 5 weeks, about 50% of what you lose is going to be fluids. About 50% is going to be fat. Part of it will be the "natural" dehydration. Part of it will be your body letting loose its liquid stores (e.g. glycogen) because it's freaking out. Part of it will be your body trying to find equilibrium, etc.

Aside from that, I think I had lost in the neighborhood of 45 - 60 lbs before I could see any real difference in my pants. I didn't really notice "getting looser," either. I went from "fit" to "falling off" seemingly overnight.

Next is where you lose weight. Abdominal/torso weight tends to come off later. Face/shoulder/upper body weight tends to come off quicker. That's a horribly generic blanket statement, but for the most part it's accurate. I see tons of people who haven't really lost that must weight in terms of %EWL, but have mad collar bones. My tops went down two sizes before my pants even got noticeably too big. Your face may be way slimmer, and maybe that's why people are commenting, while your torso just hasn't gotten there yet, which is why you're wearing the same pants. (Face is usually the first visible sign of weightloss regardless of gender.)

I have heard this from people before, but in at least a few instances they had lost alot and it was noticeable, but they had REALLY underestimated how tight their clothing was. They were loosing and it was obvious, but they couldn't see it because they were waiting for that finger notched in jeans showing how baggy the jeans are.

NOT saying that is anyone, notice I said a few instances.

I had a similar but different problem. I can't stand tight jeans, and REFUSE to wear tight leg jeans. I often wear guy jeans - and love military jeans. So it took awhile for me to get past "is this my imagination, are they baggier?". I began to realize it finally when I had to start wearing belts, and simultaneously mourned and celebrated the inability to wear any of my para pants, without looking like I was wearing a diaper underneath from them being gathered so much.

I will wait a few weeks to get more, I went to an army surplus today and was shocked to find I am almost out of the next "size" - one size is actually a big deal, cause they are sized in 4 inch increments, and a little to give, so right now the 43- 39 fits only if I gather them, yay!

When I was in the Army, my size was extra small, extra short. I was 99-100 pounds. I've heard that these days they cut them for women. One big difference between BDUs and ACUs. Ahhhhh, progress.

Well, I think it really varies from person to person. I expected my top half to get smaller sooner, but it's my bottom half that has the most noticeable difference -- big surprise to me! So at 2 months out, I'm down from a tight 18/20 to a loose 16 or a snug 14. Many of my tops still fit though, although noticeably looser. I had to clean all of my pants about 2 weeks ago and go shopping at thrift stores, which was really fun!

But, I haven't lost as much weight as you have -- 42 pounds at this point. I'm loosing inches faster than weight, which is another surprise. I expected it to be different.

I'm thinking each body reacts differently. I do feel great and am so pleased with my progress so far. I bet you'll really start noticing soon!

yeah, usually when I'm losing weight I have to lose atleast 50 pounds before I saw a change in my clothes

I regret not making actual measurements but I have pics - you can see what I went to from my pics (my gallery) - the pic in that horrid blue thing and the white shirt show almost identical weights. The next pic with me in the same white shirt is about 30 lbs, so I lost alot in my tummy. The next two only represent about 10 more pounds of weight loss. The face shot on my profile and me in pink on the floor is about 60 lbs down from this time last year. so a bit more than 20 more pounds.

So I seem to be losing inches, and yes some weight, but not as much as I thought I was going to have to lose to see these results. I kind of wonder if I have set a weight goal too low.

I was buying new clothes after the first two weeks when down 20 pounds. Rule of thumb is 1 inch for every 10 pounds.

Well I know my weight comes off my boobs first, then my face, then my fingers, then my arms, then my neck, then my tummy, then my feet, THEN and FINALLY my BUTT! It took me months before I was down a size in jeans too. I'm hovering at 200 down from 292 and I went from 24/26 to 18 right now. Once I'm under 200 the sizes will go faster. I know. I've been there before.

i can agree that ehen you have a lot of weight,mot takes a good while to loose a dress size, but thats actually a good thing because clothes are expensive.

i also agree that we underestimate how much we were squeezing into our clothes b4...,

Congrats on ur success!

Well I know my weight comes off my boobs first, then my face, then my fingers, then my arms, then my neck, then my tummy, then my feet, THEN and FINALLY my BUTT! It took me months before I was down a size in jeans too. I'm hovering at 200 down from 292 and I went from 24/26 to 18 right now. Once I'm under 200 the sizes will go faster. I know. I've been there before.

i totally agree and I have been there too, the sizes go faster in Onederland...

Thanks for all the feedback. I am not the norm bariatric surgery wise. I was a tight 8-10 when I had it done and am still in my 8's. Longterm wise I want to stop at a size 6, so in reality I should just expect a bit of a weight.

my clothes are finally getting loose! woo hoo!

I'm in the same boat. I've lost 27 pounds and can't tell a difference because I was still wearing my size 16 jeans since pre op. Friends/family/coworkers have mentioned I lost weight as my face and tummy is smaller but for me I don't see it and didn't understand because I still wore my 16 size jeans. I went to my grandma's with my mom and realized my jeans were loose and constantly had to pull them up. Went home and tried on size 14 jeans that my cousin gave me and they FIT! It's comfy and I am in awe that I actually fit in them! I think you should try on a size smaller pair of pants/jeans and it probably will fit. Keep doing what your doing cause it's workin! GL

thanks for posting this. I was starting to feel like a freak that I have lost 30 lbs and my butt, legs, feet, and face have all slimmed down, but my waist is still the same. Couldn't figure out why I was still in my 18 jeans. Although they are loose, I'm not trying for a 16 yet, cause I know they'll be tight and uncomfortable. I'm at 208 down from 239 on surgery day. I hope what everyone says is true...that after the 200 mark the sizes will start to drop. But then I guess it isn't about the size so much as it is feeling good about yourself??