I weighed in at my heaviest, 281.2 at my pre-op the other day. I'm 5"4 and 50 years old. the weight/BMI charts always say that i should weigh about 145 at the most. However the dietician said that I should aim for 190 for the time being and then go from there, maybe to 157 or so. I'm not hung up on a particular number, I just want to feel and be healthy and eneregetic, a normal size, and able to look at myself in the mirror without wanting to cry.

I'm just curious as to what other people were told.

They low ball it for you so you don't get discouraged by a far far away number. They do what's realistic as a first time goal and according to the statistics on LB surgery. MOST patients lose 60% of thier excess weight and keep it off, so 190 is probably around 60%.

But I can tell you, any weight loss feels amazing. I was around 290 first starting out too (5'5") and I was tired all the time. 11 months later I'm 80 pounds down and it's incredible, the difference. I have energy! I could stop now, honestly, but I have a dream weight.

Good luck! You'll do wonderful, I know it.

Thanks for your response but that brings up another issue that I find confusing. Why do some doctors or whomever say you can lose a percentage of your weight but then I see lots of people on the forums who seem to have lost down to a "normal" weight. I understand that everyone's situation is different but it doesn't make sense to me.

Don't judge yourself or your goal based on what is posted here!

The people that lost a lot of weight are proud to tell you how much they lost and post it. While the others are either not as proud or perhaps a little ashamed.

Haven't you noticed the lack of failure stories here when you know there are many?

I plan to be one of the proud ones and hopefully you will be too!

Thanks again. Another question comes up... Why are there failures? Is this from not following instructions or what? Guess I'm feeling a bit anxious as I get close to surgery date and really want to know that if I'm doing something this drastic ( at least considered so in my circle) that I'll have results that will allow me to live life to the fullest and be able to be active with my husband. I also feel, that although I'm worth it, we've hasd to cash in RRSPs for me to do this and I don't want to put my husband or myself through one more failed attempt.

Guess I should just take a breath and stay positive...

Thanks again!:bored:

Dear Su59, yes, take a DEEP breath and exhale. There are many ppl who have lost a lot of wt as Btrieger said. In fact everything she says is always well thought out and accurate so I don't want to repeat it, but....if you have done your homework and work with your doc and nutritionist and follow the band rules you will do fine. I too was worried I would be a failure but have met my goal and am resetting it, too, and I am 8 years older than you!!! I think some ppl are "failures" because it is more comfortable to not change their eating patterns and may even be afraid of success. Keep posting and participating and welcome aboard.

Mimi

Not a she, but don't fret. You aren't the first tricked by my moobs :thumbup:

I have about 2 months until banding and have been looking high and low for the failure information. There are plenty of great success stories hear but I want the whole thing. So I know what I am getting myself into.

Most of the failures I have found are because people weren't ready to change their lives. They thought the band was some kind of magical thing that made the weight fall off automatically.

I am ready, I have the right mindset and am working hard prior to surgery so I won't have as far to go.

To answer your original question, I think you should set your sights at 157. You can probably get to 145 in time if try really want it and work for it.

I'll race you. I'm shooting for 170, a number I haven't seen since my military days 20+ years ago.

PS. On the bright side I haven't found any deaths "directly caused" by the lapband.

Thanks everyone for your support, it really helps. I'm on day 2 of the pre-op diet and starting to wonder what I'm doing, probably low energy and the prospect of 37 chocolate shakes and 22 cups of vegetables feels a little daunting. Very tempted to eat right now but I want this to work and my doctor told me about the liver and how critical this phase can be to having the surgery or having it canceled. I hope these next 11 days go fast-in terms of food anyway! lol:sad:

My surgeon never suggested a weight, but he did give me the stats - between 50 and 65% of excess weight is the average lost - then he said that it was up to me whether I stopped there and that many people were able to lose more.

I had to see a dietician exactly once - to go through the post op diet - and she laughed at my goal of 70kg and said I'd never get that thin and that perjaps I ought to be more realistic. What a dickhead. Its hardly like I was aiming for a BMI of 18. I did it easily.

Jacqui and Mimi,

You are a inspirations to everyone! Any goal can be reached if you work for it.

Edited November 21, 200916 yr by btrieger

I really think this surgery allows you to make it what you want it to be. As many people have said before, it is a 'tool' and you decide how much you want to use it. If you follow the 'rules', then the tool works really really well and you can lose weight without being hungry which is awesome!!! If you refuse to follow the rules or are looking every which way as to how to bend them, then the band doesn't work that well because there are many ways to eat/drink around the band. My surgeon recommends band only to those that are highly motivated and rule followers. Otherwise, she says to do RNY or Sleeve. I think it makes sense... it is possible to sabotage yourself on the band (drink high calorie smoothies, ice cream, and eat stuff that slips right through the band), but if you are someone who has honestly given traditional dieting your full effort and still feel hungry, this I think is the tool you need. :thumbup: