Expected Weight Loss?

[Iknowsaur]

Hi all,

I just had a meeting with the psychiatrist on my surgery team for my final pre-op visit (with her, anyway.) She asked me what my expected weight loss was and I hesitated, and she reiterated the expected 60-ish percent average of excess weight with VSG. That's all well and good, but I am 280 pounds and a normal weight for my height, 5'6, is 140-150 pounds tops. All I want out of life is to be 150-160 pounds, a size 8 or maybe 10, and she pretty blatantly told me I was being an idiot and that she didn't even expect me to lose 100 pounds, which to be honest hurt a little bit because my surgeon stated otherwise. I lost weight before without surgery or medication or anything (100 pounds) and regained it (and then some) after three years of maintenance between starting college, knee surgery, and horrible birth control issues.

I know that statistically very few people who have weight loss surgery lose all of their excess weight and even fewer keep it off, but she made it sound as if it was virtually impossible. Is it crazy to have 150/160 as my goal from 280? I know it will take a lot of work, but it's all I've ever really wanted. I'm 18 years old (female,) and I feel like she should have been encouraging it unless it was truly impossible .-. My surgery is on May 30th, and honestly I was very excited until this appointment got me down. I plan on working very hard, and having exercise be a big part of my life again once my weight isn't affecting my knees (probably around 220 or 200.)

Edit - I've been researching this for the year + I've been considering the surgery. What I found is that it tends to be more likely for "light weights" (people with around 100 pounds to lose) than "heavy weights" (people with 200+ pounds to lose) to reach a normal weight, or closer to 100% of excess weight lost. At 280 pounds I have about 130-140 pounds to lose. Do you guys think that would put me in a "light weight" category (haha) as far as the surgery goes?

So many people on this website and in the VSG group on myfitnesspal seem to have had so much success in losing and maintaining around their goal or ideal weight. I'm just confused about why this particular person on my surgical team was so negative. It's freaking me out enough that I created an account on here just to ask this question!

Thanks!

[Kisible]

I'm only 9 days post-op but I believe your goal is possible. My sister had a VSG 5 years ago. She weighed 255 and has lost 110 pounds. She has kept the weight off with staying healthy and she still listens to her body. My goal is also 150-140, I realize it will take hard work but I'm prepared to do what it takes. Keep your chin up and prove the psychiatrist wrong.

[Bombshell2Be]

I think your goal is completely reachable! I weighed 258 pounds when I had my surgery, I am now almost one year post-op and weigh 145 pounds! If I can do it, you can do it! Just follow the doctors recommendations, stay focused, and you will be successful! Best wishes!

[bmiller140]

Remember that you are the one having the surgery and doing the work - not your psychiatrist. You are young enough to accomplish anything if you put your heart and mind into it. But this needs to be for the right reason. I recommend this book from Amazon - Weight Loss Surgery - The Real Skinny by Dr. nick Nicholson. It will help you set realistic weight loss expectations and understand how to be successful. You also will want to deal with the emotional issues that have kept you from being successful before. The book helps with that too.

Best of luck - Bonnie

[txredapple79]

My surgeon refuses to give me a goal weight so I set my own at 170. Who knows if I will reach it, but I sure will try.

[ncubed03]

I started at 310 and I am down 70 lbs in just 4 months. I am stalling out a little but I think I'll start losing again and I set my goal at 165 which I think is doable. However, I will be thrilled with reaching onederland!

[Truffles]

I think if you follow the rules you can most definitely achieve that weight loss, especially because you are so young. You have youth working for you, whereas most of us do not.

[ximmia]

It's all up to you. Your body will come to a place where it naturally wants to rest, but like Truffles says you've got youth on your side. I, for one, I have set a goal in the upper middle side of "normal" BMI (I'm 5'3 1/2) and I firmly believe I can achieve it. To date I've lost 67% of the weight I want to lose and I know I'm nowhere near done. I've gone from a BMI of 57.3 to 35.0 just this morning. I'm incredibly proud of that. Your loss can definitely happen. Just be aware that it won't be overnight. It's the big four: protein, water, exercise, attitude. Recommit every day and you'll do just fine.

What I would caution about is "I'm going to lose (x) weight by (x) day." That can set us all up for disappointment. Set weight goals sure, but make them achievable and make sure to set goals that have nothing to do with the numbers on the scale as well.

Best of luck to you.

[bikrchk]

I think it's doable. I am also 5'6" but started at 235 pounds. I am 6 months post op and have lost 75 pounds from my first consult the month before surgery so I'm at 160 today, in a size 8. At my 6 month follow up last week my surgeon told me I am officially a "success" as far as weight loss goes. The weight-related health risks are gone and if no more comes off, not to stress about it. That may be good enough for HIS stats, My BMI is still in the "overweight" category. As far as I'm concerned, I have 25 pounds to go to land me firmly in the land of "healthy BMI". If I put on 10 pounds from there, (I hear this is typical), I'll still be good. He said that was fine also and encouraged me to keep at it. I think sometimes they tend to give us lower goals to make sure they have a marketable percentage of success. I've always aimed right of the bell curve and for me this is no different. Come on size 6 and an even 100 pound loss!

[dyberrah]

I've gone from a BMI of 57.3 to 35.0 just this morning. I'm incredibly proud of that.

Good for you!! You're looking awesome, btw

[rycurll]

I am very similar to you - 5'6 and currently 288. I absolutely plan to lost about 120-140 pounds. I think it's doable, especially when I see the stats of others on this site. I'm 36, not 18, so it may take me longer, but that's okay. My weight doesn't affect my knees - it's my hips that's the problem. I couldn't go for a walk if my life depended on it at this weight. Around 230 or so I think the pain will alleviate somewhat, I have yo-yo'd with my weight so much that I know exactly where I need to be to be pain-free. At that point, I plan to incorporate exercise into my life again.

I think your goals are VERY realistic. I wonder that the motivation of the psychologist was in telling you that you probably wouldn't reach your goal? She may be against this type of surgery and if she isn't overweight herself, surely has no idea of the struggle we go through. I wouldn't worry about her too much - the surgeon is where I'd place the value. If he tells you to expect significant weight loss, I'd believe him. Also, I heard with the sleeve the expected weight loss is up to 80-85% of your extra weight - 60% is more like the LapBand. Even so, it is what you make of it. If you follow doctor recommendations, watch your eating/drinking, and exercise when you feel ready - I know the weight will come off. How can it not?

[Iknowsaur]

Thanks everyone!
You've all been really encouraging, and this point I'm assuming that it's just something she's required to say.
60% being only from the sleeve makes sense to me, with the rest coming from hard work and good decisions as far as eating goes.
I'm glad I decided to post

[cowgirljane]

They give you the averages to try to set realistic expecations My NUT said it well "we don't want you to lose 100# and feel like a failure because you didn't get to a normal BMI". I do think you need to contemplate this hard because people can sometimes regain when they don't feel like they got to a goal... like that whole all or nothing thinking.

Well, getting to your goal weight is all about your willingness to continue to "work the sleeve" pretty hard even after the weight loss slows down and the going gets a bit tougher.

I weigh in the low 140s right now, started out at 308 - I am 5'5". I got to my personal goal of 158 in Feb 2013 and have just kept slowly losing since then - what I call those last few vanity pounds.
My clothing sizes are all over the board since every brand is different, but my size 8 pants are all too big now so I am in the 4-6 range although I think I own a pair of size 2 that fits (stupid vanity sizing). I buy either small or medium tops. From the junior section, I tend to buy mediums.

[~BookDiva~]

I think it's absolutely a reachable goal as well! Im 37...so you definitely have youth on your side I weighed 288 when I went in for my surgery in March of 2012. (I am 5' exactly) I now weigh 165lbs (my ticker is off since I haven't corrected it in awhile, haven't been on here much) I have not lost in awhile, but I know it's because I let some carbs sneak in there on me, and you DO have to fight for those last 20-30-and even sometimes 40lbs...but thats's ok....I'm a hell of a lot better off than i was! I also know that I start to lose again when I cut them back out and go back to my protein first routine. I haven't gained any back, and I still have great restriction even 2 years out. It was a learning process for sure...what works for me, what doesn't, not beating myself up over mistakes...With your mindset, you'll do great. Just stay positive and enjoy the ride...it's really pretty awesome to see the changes you go through

[rhill2901]

Your goal is reachable with or without the sleeve, however, the sleeve is a tool that makes the job easier. It reduces the size of your stomach by 80%. You will not only reach your goal but with the sleeve you will learn that food is only to keep you alive and not for entertainment. Mental hunger will be the ultimate battle....

Get the sleeve and ignore the quacks and opinions outside this blog. Everyone who has the sleeve doesn't regret it and truely wishes they got it years earlier.

Good luck and hope to see you on this site more. Tons of info at your fingertips. Don't feel that more than likely any question you have may have been answered a million times in the past, somebody will always chime in with the answer because sometime we get incomplacent and need to hear it again...

Welcome to the family.

-Richard.