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  1. #1
    Gastric Sleeve Member mandyjdc's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Amanda
    Surgery date
    10/18/2017
    Surgeon
    Dr. Christopher Eagan
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Last Activity
    11-27-2020 12:04 PM
    Location
    St. Louis, MO
    Posts
    323
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    Was Thanked 178 Times in 142 Posts
    Said "Welcome to Gastric Sleeve" 0 Times

    Default Projected weight loss?

    I was just wondering if anyone here knows why there's only a certain amount weight that one can expect to lose? I was hoping with the surgery I'd be able to get to a "normal" BMI for my height. My projected weight loss with the sleeve is 87 lbs which still puts me at 40 lbs. overweight.

    Do most people lose more than the projected weight if they are vigilant with diet and exercise?

    I mean, don't get me wrong, 180 is a lot better than 268, but my goal is 140.

    TIA!



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  4. #2
    Gastric Sleeve Member Ann2's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Ann2
    Surgery date
    08/18/2014
    Surgeon
    n.a.
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Missouri
    Posts
    6,630
    Said "Thanks" 5,839 Times
    Was Thanked 5,052 Times in 2,720 Posts
    Said "Welcome to Gastric Sleeve" 3,616 Times
    Blog Entries
    3

    Default Re: Projected weight loss?

    First of all, that "expected weight loss" thing is baloney.

    What you've been quoted (or have read) is the "average weight loss" of all VSG patients.

    And ALL VSG patients include include people who:

    1. Follow ALL their doctors' instructions to a tee, exercise regularly, take all their vitamins, and understand in their souls that the sleeve is only a tool and that it ultimately will be on THEM to learn more tools, e.g., eating slower, eating protein first, not drinking with meals, not grazing between meals, etc. etc. etc.

    2. Had no access to serious pre-op education and didn't have any idea what they were supposed to do post-op. Consequently, they were on their own. And they fell off the rails.

    3. Had access to good information, but due to lack of family and other support, inability to appreciate or understand the importance of the information they were given, eating disorders, no access to counseling services, other addictions and/or cross-addictions, had to take Rx meds that slowed their weight losses, etc. their weight loss went slowly and stalled permanently.

    4. Other stuff.

    You'll find here on this board people who've lost less than half their excess weight, people who lost 60-80% of their excess weight, people who lost all their excess weight, and people who lost too much weight and are now seriously underweight (those are rare). ALL their results, averaged out, are probably close to the "expected" numbers you've seen or heard about.

    Ultimately, how much of your excess weight you will lose is mostly up to you, the tools you build and use, how much and what you eat for the rest of your life, and how patient and persistent you are when losing your weight.

    There's a myth that all WLS patients will lose weight like a house afire! Some do, some don't. How fast you lose weight, even if you're doing everything right, depends on your gender, age, how heavy you were to start with, your physical fitness (muscle mass), the meds you're taking, etc.

    Happily, the two things you can control are the most important determinants of your long-term success: (1) your knowledge and (2) your behavior. Keep studying, reading, listening, attending your surgeon's educational seminars, etc.

    You CAN be successful!



    Consult: 235 lbs
    My and doc's preop diet: 216 -19 lbs
    M1 postop 205 -30
    M2 193 -42
    M3 184 -51
    M4 174 -61
    M5 167 -68
    M6 162 -73
    M7 156 -79
    M8 151 -84
    M9 148 -87
    M10 146 -89
    M11 144 -91
    M12 143 -92
    M13 142 -93
    M14 140 -95
    M15 139 -96
    M16 137 -98
    M17 135 -100

    First Surgiversary post

    Second Surgiversary post

    Third Surgiversary post


  5. #3
    Gastric Sleeve Member Kindle's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Surgery date
    12/20/2013
    Surgeon
    Ariel Ortiz & Arturo Martinez
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    1,659
    Said "Thanks" 699 Times
    Was Thanked 1,627 Times in 805 Posts
    Said "Welcome to Gastric Sleeve" 2 Times
    Blog Entries
    43

    Default Re: Projected weight loss?

    What she said ^^^^^^. WLS statistics are meaningless when it comes to any one individual's success or failure rate.

    I lost over 100% of my excess weight (I'm smacked in the middle of "normal" BMI) by following my rules and being ever mindful of my lifestyle. That means someone else out there only lost 20% of their excess weight to bring the "average weight loss" to 60% (Which is what I think they claim for VSG). That person has absolutely nothing to do with my success or failure just like the numbers have nothing to do with your ability to lose as much as you want.

    Like Ann mentioned, You have the ability to choose which behaviors you want to adopt after WLS. And it's those behaviors that dictate YOUR numbers.




  6. #4
    Gastric Sleeve Member RehabNurse's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Surgery date
    04/20/2015
    Surgeon
    Dr. Smith
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Last Activity
    02-08-2020 09:38 PM
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    1,147
    Said "Thanks" 695 Times
    Was Thanked 1,491 Times in 728 Posts
    Said "Welcome to Gastric Sleeve" 905 Times
    Blog Entries
    4

    Default Re: Projected weight loss?

    My BMI was 41 on the day of my surgery. Although my weight loss was painfully slow, I plugged along and achieved a very normal BMI of 22 with a lot of diligent work regarding dietary habits and exercise. Take a look at the signature block on the bottom of my post to see my monthly losses if you wish.

    The 70% excess weight statistic throws people like me into the pool with others who continue to binge-eat after the sleeve and never lost more than 30 pounds after their surgeries. Therefore, surgeons tend to be very conservative regarding their weight loss projections because they do not know whether you will succeed until you actually succeed.

    Good luck to you!


    10/23/14 Initial Consult 200 lb, 5'1 tall
    4/6/15 Highest Wt 225 (yes: 25 lb gain)
    4/20/15 Surgery Wt 218, BMI 41

    1 mo 203.0 -15
    2 mo 190.5 -12.5
    3 mo 184.5 -6
    4 mo 177.0 -7.5
    5 mo 171.0 -6
    6 mo 164.5 -6.5
    7 mo 157.5 -7
    8 mo 152.5 -5
    9 mo 149 -3.5
    10 m 143 -6
    11 m 142 -1
    1 yr 138.5 -3.5
    13 m 133 -5.5
    14 m 128 -5
    15 m 125 -3
    16 m 121 -4
    17 m 120 -1
    18 m 118 -2

    Dec '17: BMI 23.5; consumes 2000+ kcal/day


  7. #5
    Gastric Sleeve Member ghost_ryder's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Greg
    Surgery date
    08/23/2016
    Surgeon
    Dr Doyle
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Last Activity
    11-26-2018 07:18 AM
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    1,008
    Said "Thanks" 186 Times
    Was Thanked 855 Times in 568 Posts
    Said "Welcome to Gastric Sleeve" 677 Times

    Default Re: Projected weight loss?

    You ladies are awesome. I can only dream of being as successful as you all.



    HW - 341 - June 1
    SW - 319 - 8/23 (-22)
    1mn - 286 - Sept 23 (-33) -total 55
    2mn - 274 - Oct 23 (-12) -total 67
    3mn - 263 - Nov 23 (-11) -total 78
    6mn - 238 - Feb 23(-25) - total 103
    9mn - 230 - May 23 (-8) - Total 111
    10mn - 226 - June 23 (-4) Total 115
    11mn - 226 - July 23 (0) Total 115

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  10. #6
    Gastric Sleeve Member Sandra3's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Sandra
    Surgery date
    01/20/2016
    Surgeon
    Dr W
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Last Activity
    06-25-2020 09:15 AM
    Location
    France
    Posts
    1,363
    Said "Thanks" 290 Times
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    62

    Default Re: Projected weight loss?

    I will add my two cents here.
    Almost everything has been said in the previous messages, except the change in our body composition.
    At my HW in 2012 (before my one year diet) I was 330 pounds. When I met my surgeon the first time I was 313 pounds, BMI around 53.
    My surgeon told me I could expect to lose around 110 pounds from my start weight of 313. Right now I'm right at 100 pounds lost, BMI 35.
    So not very far from my surgeon's prediction. When I had my one year post-op last month he did say he was really happy about my results, and that I will continue to lose at least until 18 months out, so that's July. Truth is right now my weight is not moving in any direction, mainly because I'm having injuries again and can't exercise, again.
    Losing one pound per month is really really frustrating especially when you put so much effort into it. Sigh.
    When I asked my doc if he thinks it's realistic to lose more than those 10 pounds left in his estimate, but more around 30 pounds, so my BMI would be out of the obese zone, he said it would take time but a good nutrition and exercise would help for sure. Nutrition is fine but my biggest issue since the beginning is exercise.
    Anyway, my point here is that reading with my nut my last body composition, we could see that in the last 9 months I lost only fat, no muscle at all, which is great! Lean mass help to maintain a higher BMR so it's all good.
    But it wouldn't be realistic for me to imagine just one second that I could go back to a weight I maintained when I was 24, before my first pregnancy. Because 20 years of obesity also developed a really heavy muscle mass, so I will never be able to go back to that previous weight. My body changed. Even when I was morbidly obese I was still working, walking, exercising a minimum. So my muscle mass is much heavier now than it was 20 years ago. And from what my doc said, much heavier than the majority of his patients. Same for my bones, heavier than average.

    So for insurance purpose I really want to reach a BMI of 30 or under. I would be "out of the wood" for sure, but looking at my numbers, it's obvious I can't lose more than may be 40 pounds top because that would leave me with "not enough fat" ...even if on the outside, I wouldn't be that slim but just "normal".

    So I think to help you know what you could lose, you need to do a body composition. it's the only way to know what's possible or not.
    Good luck!


    HW : 150 kgs
    09/02/2014 : 142 /1st apt
    01/20/2016 : 134 /surgery
    01/30/2016 : 130 /1st post-op
    02/27/2016 : 126 /2nd
    04/23/2016 : 118 /3rd
    07/16/2016 : 109 / 4th
    10/01/2016 : 103 /5th
    01/21/2017 : 98 /1 year post-op
    February 2017 : 100 lbs lost
    07/22/2017 : 96
    10/21/2017 : 93
    12/22/2017 : 91
    01/02/2018 : 96!! regain (medication)

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  12. #7
    Gastric Sleeve Member Christie13's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Christie
    Surgery date
    11/03/2016
    Surgeon
    Dr. Wright
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Last Activity
    09-12-2019 04:13 PM
    Posts
    5,169
    Said "Thanks" 978 Times
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    Said "Welcome to Gastric Sleeve" 1,465 Times
    Blog Entries
    97

    Default Re: Projected weight loss?

    My "expected" weight loss from my surgery day weight (187) was 44 lbs. I am 16 weeks out tomorrow and I have lost 42 lbs since surgery. I do not think I am remotely done on my journey. I agree it is baloney and all the people on here who are a year or more out have lost a ton of weight.



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  14. #8
    Gastric Sleeve Member RehabNurse's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Surgery date
    04/20/2015
    Surgeon
    Dr. Smith
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Last Activity
    02-08-2020 09:38 PM
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    1,147
    Said "Thanks" 695 Times
    Was Thanked 1,491 Times in 728 Posts
    Said "Welcome to Gastric Sleeve" 905 Times
    Blog Entries
    4

    Default Re: Projected weight loss?

    Quote Originally Posted by Christie13 View Post
    all the people on here who are a year or more out have lost a ton of weight.
    Not necessarily.....there have been posters/forum members who never lost more than 30 or 40 pounds during the first year when they had in excess of 100+ pounds to lose. Anyhow, the less successful sleevers often reduce their forum participation. Hence, it seems like everyone on here who is a year or more out has lost most or all of their weight because many of the success stories tend to stick around.

    Also, these less successful members usually fade away and stop posting after other respondents provide common-sense advice: protein first, drink your water, take your supplements, get some exercise, stay away from the daily pastries and candy...

    One member lost 45 pounds in the first three months of being sleeved, but her weight loss stopped. She had undiagnosed depression and grazed on chocolates, sweet tea and convenience store cakes all day to soothe her emotional pain. She is several years out and regaining.

    Another member claimed she never lost any weight and "was not given a chance" because her sleeve was created with a 38F bougie size. On the other hand, my sleeve was made with a larger size bougie than hers (40F bougie) and I lost my excess weight. Other people with sleeves that were made using the 40F bougie size achieved their goal weights. It is not the size of your sleeve; rather, it is what you stuff into your pie-hole that matters.

    Yet another member (with a majorly horrid attitude) lost 30+ pounds in her first few months after surgery, but the weight loss stopped and she never made it to goal. She is almost three years out. She blamed her age (late 40s), hypothyroidism, cancer survivor status, revision, bougie size...basically anything. She constantly complained that she didn't get weight loss surgery to exercise and change her habits, and that the weight should come off. Well, we get out of this surgery what we put into it.

    Ann2 is in her early 70s and made it to goal, so age is less of a factor than some people want to believe. I have hypothyroidism, so that disease is less of a factor than some people want you to believe.

    Okay, enough of my rambling...


    10/23/14 Initial Consult 200 lb, 5'1 tall
    4/6/15 Highest Wt 225 (yes: 25 lb gain)
    4/20/15 Surgery Wt 218, BMI 41

    1 mo 203.0 -15
    2 mo 190.5 -12.5
    3 mo 184.5 -6
    4 mo 177.0 -7.5
    5 mo 171.0 -6
    6 mo 164.5 -6.5
    7 mo 157.5 -7
    8 mo 152.5 -5
    9 mo 149 -3.5
    10 m 143 -6
    11 m 142 -1
    1 yr 138.5 -3.5
    13 m 133 -5.5
    14 m 128 -5
    15 m 125 -3
    16 m 121 -4
    17 m 120 -1
    18 m 118 -2

    Dec '17: BMI 23.5; consumes 2000+ kcal/day

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  16. #9
    Gastric Sleeve Member mandyjdc's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Amanda
    Surgery date
    10/18/2017
    Surgeon
    Dr. Christopher Eagan
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Last Activity
    11-27-2020 12:04 PM
    Location
    St. Louis, MO
    Posts
    323
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    Said "Welcome to Gastric Sleeve" 0 Times

    Default Re: Projected weight loss?

    Thank you for the responses!

    It seems then that I shouldn't get too hung up on that number then. It sounds like most the people who were unsuccessful weren't willing to put their
    part of the effort in.

    I was able to lose weight in the past, but was on 500 calorie diet just to weight 150. I'm hoping that the sleeve will be a helpful tool to help me stay low calorie. I ended up gaining back the weight because I was so hungry all the time and after a few years, couldn't sustain that low calorie diet anymore because of the bad hunger pains.



  17. #10
    Gastric Sleeve Member Tamera2's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Tamera Anderson
    Surgery date
    01/24/2017
    Surgeon
    Dr Mario Almanza
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Last Activity
    02-04-2024 03:59 PM
    Location
    Vancouver Wa
    Posts
    914
    Said "Thanks" 440 Times
    Was Thanked 673 Times in 472 Posts
    Said "Welcome to Gastric Sleeve" 1,539 Times

    Thumbs up Re: Projected weight loss?

    Welcome, When I was doing my research I found out there are doctors removing way less stomach and tell potential patients much lower statistics. As you can see there are a lot of people loosing 100 percent of their weight and changing there lives forever: ) Good luck
    Highest weight- 288 / Wt at Surgery 268
    1 month 236 -29lbs 2 month 214 -22lbs 3 month 206 -08lbs 4 month 196 -10lbs 5 month 185 -11lbs 6 month 178 -7lbs 7 month 172 -6lbs 9mos -12lbs 156 13mos later wt.144lbs, Wt.138 -150lbs in 15mos

  18. #11
    Gastric Sleeve Member Shirl's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Shirl
    Surgery date
    05/17/2016
    Surgeon
    Dr. Sergey Lyass
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    SoCal and Central Texas
    Posts
    1,310
    Said "Thanks" 976 Times
    Was Thanked 1,063 Times in 667 Posts
    Said "Welcome to Gastric Sleeve" 1,909 Times
    Blog Entries
    57

    Default Re: Projected weight loss?

    Kudos to all the great advice from veteran sleevers, and definitely do not get hung up on the numbers. I have been a slow loser from second months forward and I am perfectly fine with that (well to be honesst 98% of the time, the other two I get the stinking thinking get to me, but I am getting better at it.)

    Another thing to consider is that numbers on the scale and standard weight and BMI charts are not indicative of your personal height, ethnicity, genetics etc. To truly find out where you should fall under, you should consider doing a DEXA body composition scan (great article on the DEXA scan: https://breakingmuscle.com/learn/the...a-scan-is-best ).

    I am 5'6" Guatemalan immigrant woman of color with mix ancestry in my late 40's and currently weight just under 180lbs, BUT I am wearing size 10 and medium clothing, which is starting to fit on the loose side. And everyone thinks I weight 160-150lbs. I found out last year when I did the first DEXA scan that my bone mass is at a higher ration than the average woman my age and height. The trainer explained to me that the standard medical weight and bmi charts are based on White European women and men. If you fall under those demographics then of course it might apply to you. I certainly cannot go by those charts and measures, yet all my life I have been told or compared by those standards... so the DEXA body composition scan results really helped me break those unrealistic expectations for myself. The trainer who was the founder of the Get Fit Program at the University of Texas at Austin (UT) told me that for my body type, I would be within normal body weight at 165lbs (again because my bones are heavier than the average woman my age, and height).

    My goal for doing WLS was to stop the weight gain, reverse type 2 diabetes for as long as I possibly can since it runs in my family, and lower my cholesterol which I have successfully done. I have set my weight goals at 165lbs and 140lbs to help me stay focus and motivated in my life style changes, and I will get there even if it is one pound at a time. I feel I am at a good place in my WLS journey, I am eating a well balanced diet, and enjoying what I eat in tiny portions in comparison of the amounts of foods stuffs I used to eat.

    For me, this WLS journey has been about finding balance and not using food as reward or punishment, but seeing food as a source of life giving nourishment.
    HW: 245lbs (11/15); SW: 226lbs (5/17/16) - Height: 5'6"

    Post-Op Weight:
    M1: 211.3 (-14.7)
    M2: 203 (-8.3)
    M3: 196.5 (-6.5)
    M4: 191.5 (-5)
    M5: 186.3 (-5.2)
    M6: (?)
    M7: (?)
    M8: 179.4 (-6.9)
    M9: 177.1 (-2.3)
    M10: 174 (-3.1)
    M11: 171.5 (-2.5)
    M12: 171 (-.5)
    Y1.1: 170 (-1)

    "Today is another day to get it right!"






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  20. #12
    Gastric Sleeve Member Ann2's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Ann2
    Surgery date
    08/18/2014
    Surgeon
    n.a.
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Missouri
    Posts
    6,630
    Said "Thanks" 5,839 Times
    Was Thanked 5,052 Times in 2,720 Posts
    Said "Welcome to Gastric Sleeve" 3,616 Times
    Blog Entries
    3

    Default Re: Projected weight loss?

    Interesting stuff, Shirl. Thanks for sharing that info.



    Consult: 235 lbs
    My and doc's preop diet: 216 -19 lbs
    M1 postop 205 -30
    M2 193 -42
    M3 184 -51
    M4 174 -61
    M5 167 -68
    M6 162 -73
    M7 156 -79
    M8 151 -84
    M9 148 -87
    M10 146 -89
    M11 144 -91
    M12 143 -92
    M13 142 -93
    M14 140 -95
    M15 139 -96
    M16 137 -98
    M17 135 -100

    First Surgiversary post

    Second Surgiversary post

    Third Surgiversary post

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