Question:
I am currently 256 and my PCP says that at best I will reach 180...
with my gastric bypass surgery. I was thinking more along the lines of 150-160. Does this sound right? Is he just not optimistic or is he preparing me for the least amount that I can lose and if I lose more, great? According to my height, optimal weight is 130. At the weight 180 I would still be 50 pounds overweight. Thanks for your insight! — Jaimie L. (posted on April 1, 2003)
March 31, 2003
On average a person looses 65-70% of the excess body weight. However, it
is up to you how well you use your new tool. I started out at 268 wearing
a size 24, at 10 months post op I am 142 wearing a 4. My goal weight had
been between 160 and 170.
— Linda A.
March 31, 2003
Please don't focus on what others say you can do. Only you can work to
make your surgery a success. I think that is where many of us start to
lose out is b/c we are listening to others. Granted our surgeon is the
best one to talk with regarding a lot of these types of questions however,
we make our goals and achieve them with the help of this great tool we are
provided. Please don't let those numbers hold you back.
— Kitty Kat
March 31, 2003
If a surgeon is talking statistically, that's fine. But, IMNSHO, stating a
specific number or goal weight is often unrealistic and blatantly
irresponsible and sets the patient up for feelings of failure should they
not reach that number. There are far too many variables for anyone to
state that this is the number they must hit or they have failed. Of
course, if someone is not compliant or chooses to "test the
limits" of their surgery, that's different. But, we are all so
individual, if we do our best to work this tool, whether we lose 50 or 500
pounds, we have succeeded. Again, this is JMO.
— Leslie F.
March 31, 2003
My weight at surgery was 256. 7 months later, I weight 175. I think what
your surgeon is telling you, is that you should hit 180 without much
trouble. I know from now on, I will have to work hard to lose the last 25
pounds. But this is normal. My surgeon sees my ideal weight as 160--which
is still 20 pounds overweight for me. One good thing is that right now
everyone thinks I weight about 20-25 pounds less than I do.
— barbara A.
March 31, 2003
I am still pre op also and I thought that my surgeon was being overly
opsomistic about his goal weight for me. According to the chart he has I
should weigh 125 and that is his goal for me. MY personal goal is 115-117
that puts my BMI smack dab in the middle of normal. I may have set mysekf
up for an unobtainable goal but that is my goal and but I will be happy
with 165 becuase I know I looked and felt good at that weight. My surgeon
also told me if I do exactly as he says to do I can pick whatever weight I
want to weigh. I think that maybe your surgeon is telling you this so you
don't get disappointed with the weight loss and that you will probably lose
more than this but that the extra weight loss would be like the icing on
the cake so to speak.
— S C.
March 31, 2003
The Bariatric Program at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
considers a patients WLS to be a success if they lose 30% of their
*original* body weight. Apply that criteria to you would mean a 77 pound
loss and a weight of 179. However, your PCP (who probably doesn't know a
lot about WLS - ask your surgeon about the expected weight loss) says that
is the best you can do. I think he's wrong.
<p>
The psychologist at my psych consult told me that I could only expect to
lose 30% or 128 pounds (I started at 427). I passed that threshold at 5
months post-op and, as of my last weigh-in on 3/5, had lost 157 pounds (now
weighing in at 270 officially).
<p>
Take this statement of your physician's and use it as I did - as incentive
to prove him wrong. I'm a stubborn old Irishman and the best way to get
me to do something is to tell me I can't. *My* goal weight is 213 - which
would be a 1/2 pound over 50% total weight loss - and I'm only a little
over 50 pounds from that goal after 8 1/2 months. Best of luck in your
weight-loss venture...JR
— John Rushton
March 31, 2003
I started out at 260. I had a goal size (10/12) but not a goal weight. I
blew right past the goal size - which I reached after losing about 80
pounds - and went on to lose more than half my body weight. No one was more
surprised than me! I have always used protein shakes and kept my protein
high and (tried to) keep my carbs low. I also lift weights and do cardio
several times a week. These things combined got me to a size 4/6. (Once in
a while an 8, to accomodate the new post-plastics rack.) You never know
what your results will be; everyone is different. hugs, Ann rny
9/10/99 260/124
— [Deactivated Member]
March 31, 2003
Hi there! I am 5'4 & I started at 263! My dr said I will get down to
150 & my personal goal is 140. So far I am down 55 pounds in 3 months
so YES I believe it is possible! Good Luck!
— Beth G.
April 1, 2003
A PCP is not the surgeon. To be successful by bariatric standards, as
others have said, you only have to lose 70 percent of the excess weight.
Most of us lose much more than that. So I believe he is saying that to be
successful 180 is the goal, and that anything over that is even better.
You should lose easily to 150-160 if you follow pouch rules and exercise
and work for it.
I started at 249 and 13 months later, I am 152. I'm working to get off any
more, though. For others, they breezed down to the 130 mark. We are all
different.
— Cindy R.
April 1, 2003
Jaimie, I think your surgeon was just quoting WLS statistics. This surgery
is not just something that's done to us, and then all of the sudden we have
no control over the outcome. YOU decide how much weight you'll lose. You
may not be able to control the rate at which you'll lose, what kinds of
foods you may/may not tolerate, but you sure can decide how successful
you'll be. If you use this tool to it's full capacity and follow the
program the surgeon has laid out for you, there's no doubt you'll get to
goal. Just coming to this site and reading all of the success stories is
proof that you can reach your goals.
— Leni M.
April 1, 2003
are you having the surgery to reach a number on the scale or to improve
your health? I am eager to have WLS so I 1) won't be diabetic; 2) won't
have hypertension; 3) won't have elevated cholesterol; 4) won't have sleep
apnea; 5) won't get short of breath on one flight of stairs; 6) won't get
stabbing back pains when I walk more than a block. those are the
measurements that matter, not the scale or a dress size.
— Kasey
April 1, 2003
Thank you all for answering my questions to the best of your ablility!
Kasey, in response to your question, mostly I am having this surgery to
correct my infertility problem due to me being overweight and my back and
knee problems. I am 24 years old and I can't get pregnant (4 years trying
under doc supervision) let alone stand for any amount of time. Those are my
reasons for having this surgery, but I would be lying if I said that I
didn't have the dreams of reaching my ideal weight and being able to wear
cute clothes that other women my age wear. I don't think that makes me any
different than most of the women on this site. We all have our reasons for
having this surgery, and the added bonus is that we get to look great too!
Again, thank you all for taking the time to answer my question.
— Jaimie L.
April 1, 2003
I think MOST of the people on this website are so helpful. Then there are
those that seem to think if you don't have their problem then your reason
isn't good enough. Honey, don't listen to those people, it is really NONE
of their business WHY you choose to have this surgery. It's good that you
aren't waiting until you have so many problems.
— Dana W.
April 2, 2003
I'm 5'2" starting weight 263. See my profile for proof that your
doctor can be proven wrong. Shelley
— Shelley.
April 2, 2003
I'm a big believer in "interim goals." I just think it drives
some people (me) nuts to set one big huge goal and yet see it so far away,
I'd fret and fret about it. Don't forget to measure your success in other
ways, like reduced inches, reduced clothing sizes (or at least looser
clothing), ability to get the bow on your shoe to land in the *middle* (not
the side), how far you can walk without feeling winded, stuff like that.
Little goals, if you're picking numbers, to start. You'll get an idea of
where you might land many months down the road, and you might just be very
pleasantly surprised. It might please your surgeon, too, but this is
ultimately about where you feel good, and what you can maintain -- nobody
else's vision but yours! Good luck!
— Suzy C.
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