Did they provide you with an "expected" weight loss

[joei0005 3]

People have asked if they indicated an expected weight loss.

If they did, when did they do it.

I'm headed to my pre-op testing appointment now.

Thanks!

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[laceemouse 631]

I have only had my first appointment with the doctor and his office coordinator, and then went to my psych eval last week. The way my surgeon put it is that the "average" gastric sleeve patient loses something like 60-65% of their excess weight. So, while many people DO lose 100% of their excess obviously many do not. It's easy to lose at first but then you have to work at it (you probably already know this) and let's face it, some people just are not going to do the work to get to goal and keep the weight off.

SO, my doctor said "if we can get you down to 177 pounds would you be happy with that?" I said yes, because it is WAY better than my current situation. BUT, deep down inside, I know I will work hard to reach my personal goal of 150.

That being said, I know it won't be easy but I do plan to try. HE will consider me a success if I meet the 60-65% lose. Most people here say their surgeon has an easier to reach goal and then they have their own personal goals. I don't blame the surgeons and clinics, they are trying to manage expectations. They would never promise every single person going into surgery they would meet 100% of their goal. Just too many variables.

So my guess is they will give you a goal, you can see it as an "easy" goal or an intermittent goal or it may truly be you personal goal. It's all good.

Hope this helps, let us know what they say

[higher 966]

I was told I could expect to lose 50% of my excess weight.

I would need to lose 71 lbs to get at the high end of "normal" BMI so I suppose that 50% of 71 is 36 lbs, which I have almost already lost at 7 weeks out.

But beyond that I wasn't told anything. And I'm not really sure if those calculations are right? I guess I should have asked. Ideally I want to be in the 115-125 range, so 106-96 lbs lost . But no clue if I can get there. Also totally possible I will feel completely healthy and wonderful at a much higher weight than that. No idea!!!!!!!

Edited August 30, 2016 by higher

[madadams 130]

I'm in the UK. I wasn't given a goal but I'm 6 months out and emailed my surgeon this week. He said I'd lost 54% of my excess weight and if I'm careful for the next 6 I could reach 100%. At my preop appointment I was told to expect a 60% excess weight loss in 18 months.

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[kmorri 1,689]

Well actually my surgeon asked me how much I wanted to lose.....I told him and he agreed I should be able to.

[Pescador 1,374]

I feel it was totally up to me and my husband. Early on we found we could tolerate bites of most anything. Six months out we went on a cruise, then traveling, and I regained 20 lbs in a year. I am getting that off! It was up to ME!

[LipstickLady 25,682]

I asked my doctor how much I could expect to lose and his answer was on point.

He told me that my weight loss would directly correlate to the effort I put into my sleeve. Period.

He was right.

He never gave me a goal, even when I asked for one. He refused to talk to me about averages because he stated his patients weren't average. I asked about regain and he said that was up to me. Maintenance was up to me. EVERYTHING was up to me. All he could do was the surgery itself and follow it up with a weight loss plan that I could choose to follow or not follow. After that, the ball was firmly in my court.

He was absolutely the right doctor for me.

[ShelterDog64 2,364]

My program gave me this formula, to help ME determine what my loss needs to be in the different phases to get me where I want to be.

In the first 3 months, you lose x amount of weight. In the following 3 months, you'll generally lose 1/2 of whatever number x is, which is then number y. And then in the following months, you can lose 1/2 of y, for as long as you chose to eat/exercise in a way that puts you in weight loss mode, for number z.

I want to lose about 110 lbs. My goal is 50 lbs in the first 3 months, so x = 50. I'll lose half of x in the 2nd 3 months, so y is 25. Then in the subsequent months, I can continue to lose 1/2 of y monthly, so z is 12.

x + y + (as many months of z as I chose) will get me to my desired loss...50 +25 + (12 x3) = 111. I could be at my goal in 9 months if I work hard and stick to my plan. I've lost 45 lbs in 9 weeks, so I'm on track for that first goal. It really helped me to have interim goals and to have some sort of expectation of weight loss. Of course, this could all go out the window if I don't continue to lose as I have, but I have no reason to think that I'll be anything but successful as long as I continue doing what I've been doing. Good luck!

[Jane1979 270]

@@ShelterDog64 I finally understand algebra

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[Cindy Watkins 4]

My doctor said 60% is a doable average for everyone who is properly followin program.

Can I do more? Of course? Can I see less? Of course ! It's up to me !!!

[Christinamo7 4,041]

we discussed averages -

and the team asked me what my personal goals and expectations were, prior to surgery - I would imagine to see how realistic I am? I don't know. Ultimately getting it off and keeping it off is up to me, but they are my main line of support, and so it's good that we all know where I want to end up. they can help me make a plan to get there.

[LisaMergs 2,854]

My doc didn't give me an "expected". His Nurse Practitioner did, and her number had me at 180. I'm sitting here at 5 mos post op at 181.

What surprised me was when I saw my doc at the 3 mo post op visit he said to buckle up because I was entering the "sweet spot" after surgery, and that the greatest loss comes between months 3-9. Told me to make the most of it and keep up the good work. By those calculations, I have 4 more months in the sweet spot and think reaching my "perfect" weight of 140 is very do-able. If I don't make it that low? So what. I feel wonderful!!! And THAT is what counts.

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[ShelterDog64 2,364]

@@LisaMergs That's interesting that your doc thinks the sweet spot is after the 3 month period that mine thinks is the same...I'd love to find out that this first 45-50 lbs is just the tip of my rapid weight loss!

[Frustr8 7,886]

If I had listened to Surgeon#1 I would be heading for 134, maybe soon it will register with him that karma is a female sign I doubt,it, for he is so wrapped in himself it is a wonder he can find time to perform surgeries. Happy I got a divorce from his practice and moved on to one where I matter, they are committed to my success as well as all their others currently. Thier pre and post supports are good, they are accessible and also very people there. They agree with me on 175 pounds and within a year or 18 months I have committed to be there. I think 175 on a 5ft8in body will be **** fine!🙋

[Matt Z 4,138]

@Frustr8 you know this post was almost 2 years old right?