Hi I finally got my surgery date for March 19 and am very excited. Though this summer I am in two weddings, my bestfriend's (5/31) and my sisters (6/27). I need to buy dresses but do not know what size to get. My mother and my aunt both had the lap band done and lost 20lbs. a month. Right now I am 230lbs. and a size 24 for the dress that I want. Each size down is a loss of 2 inches i the bust, waist and hip. I am thinking about getting a size 20 for my friends and a size 18 for my sisters. I am just worried that I won't be like my family and not lose as much.

My questions:

What was your inch and weight loss each month?

Do you think my estimate is realistic on the sizing.

Thank you so much!

just remember... it's SO much easier to make a dress smaller than it is to make a dress bigger!

When I ordered my wedding dress, I was in the middle of a big weight loss and wanted to order a smaller size. The people in the shop said they always order at the size that you are when you come in because you can't predict what size you'll be by the time the wedding happens. Some people lose but some people gain!

I continued to lose and when my dress came in, they had to remake it onto my body. I didn't mind though because for the cost of alterations, I ended up with what was essentially a custom-made dress.

A few months later I ordered a bridesmaid gown and the sample must have stretched out plus I had lost some more weight due to gallbladder surgery. Well, by the time the dress came in, I was 5 lb. heavier and it didn't fit at all. They let it out as much as they could but I was pretty uncomfortable and ended up never being able to fit into it ever again.

So based on both those experiences, I'd say get it the size you are now and let them take in what they need to when the time comes. It's a much better experience to have people exclaiming about how much weight you've lost compared to having them tsk tsk as they try to make something too small fit you.

At your age you can expect to lose at least 15# in the first month, then probably at least 5# a month after that, if you follow 'the rules' and you know you are capable of losing weight....some people just aren't.

I drop one size for about each 12 pounds lost. In my opinion you'd be perfectly safe to order one size smaller, but you'll still probably have to take it in! The thing is, you don't really know exactly where you'll lose the weight first....so it's probably wisest to err on the side of caution, y'know?

Thanks everyone, I think I am going to order both size 20.