I am in the beginning phases of getting approved for the gastric sleeve. I weighed exactly 300 lbs at my last visit. My doctor printed off my expected weight loss with the surgery, and it was only at 175... At this weight, I would still be considered obese. My doctor told me that I only have to lose 10 lbs before the surgery (I have no idea if I'll get approved... though she's 99% sure of it....but she said it should take about four months) Because of the thought of me only losing 125 with the sleeve, I was thinking that it would be a good idea to lose 35-40 lbs on my own, in order to reach my overall goal weight of 135-140. I am, however, a little scared that if insurance sees that I can lose 40 lbs on my own, that they will decline to give me the surgery, which would be a huge mistake. I have been overweight my whole life. I've lost 40 lbs before, and then gained it all back, plus some... but I know that the sleeve will help me get to the weight I want to be, and stay there. What are your opinions on me losing more than the required ten lbs? Has anyone else been in this situation? Thank you. -Cat

There is no limit to the weight you can lose with the sleeve. Losing more weight now will not really help you reach your goal. The Dr is only giving you a goal weight based on the percentage of excess weight that all people lose....including the ones that fail and don't lose anything. You can lose 100% of our excess weight after you have your sleeve if you try. He is setting you up for success. He's giving you the opportunity to EXCEED expectations by beating the so called average weight loss. If he set your goal at 100% excess weight loss and you only lose 90% you might come away disappointed.

that makes sense. i didn't really think of it like that

Butterthebean is right. Surgeons goal weights are mostly based on their patients' averages. I'm sure you will succeed his expectation and break his averages!!

I did not get a goal weight from my surgeon before surgery. He watched my progress and on my 2 month post-op told that my realistic goal weight for end of 1st year would be 160 - 165lbs. I'm only 5 feet 1. So that would still mean, I have a BMI of over 32 (obese). But that does seem to be my realistic goal, coz my weight loss has slowed down quite a bit. And to reach 165, I need to lose 26 more pounds. But, at the rate that I'm losing now, I'm sure I can reach 165 by my surgiversary.

When I set my ticker, I dreamt of being 130lbs - which will be the highest weight in the 'normal' range for me. So I'm hoping that, atleast by my 18th month post-op, I make 130.