Advice for 6 months post opper???

I posted here once before, and everyone was so nice. I hope you don't mind a six month post opper asking another question. Just back from the surgeon for 6 month RNY checkup. Good news, I have lost 86 pounds and I am happy with that. Surgeon says my goal weight is only 20 to 25 pounds away. I nearly fell off of the chair in disappointment with that news. I had hoped that at 5'6" my goal weight would be about 160 or so and that I could expect to be within 10 percent of that when the loss stops. I am no where going to be near that. I have a large frame, started out at 305 as size 26 and am presently in size 16 and have been for a month now. Don't get me wrong, I am so pleased with the results so far, but are my goals of seeing a size 12 unrealistic? Can the weight loss really be finished at me weighing more than 200? Looking for honesty and encouragement here. Please share your thoughts on this. ~Diana~

You should still have 12 months left to get your weight off. The loss lasts up to 18 months or so. Your doctor may have a much higher goal for you than you have. YOu should be able to get below 200. I started out at 5'5" 337. I am 12 months out and am down to 179. Still have about 29 lbs. to lose. Dr. says 7 more to be considered "a success". I would like to get to 150, then lose 15 or so w/ plastic surgery in a lower body lift. You'll get below 200. Just hang in there and keep working on it. Protein...water...exercise. Karla 337/179/150

Diana, there is absolutely no reason you can not reach your goals....Sometimes doctors just give their success goals to us....MY Doctor only wanted me to get to 155 but I said no way...my goal is 125 but perhaps I maybe stuck at 141-145. I have been bouncing between them....Like Karla said you have another 12 months to lose. Keep up the good work.... ~~hugs and well wishes~~ Chris

Hi Diana, I wouldnt worry about it at all! You WILL get to your goal I just know it. My surgeon told me if I got down to 175 the surgery was a success...but his goal for me was 150. I had always dreamed of being about 140 (what my mom weighs) I started out at 290.....hit the 17**** the 150 goal of surgeon......hit 140 goal of mine,,,,,and guess what? It has been 12 months and I am 131 lbs!!! You are doing fantastic and WILL reach your goal, i think u will surprise yourself! good luck!

Diana Congrats on your weight loss. Your doing great! Like everyone has already said, you will still continue to loose weight. No, a size 12 is not unrealistic. It's soo possible. I started out at 388 in a size 32 and now in a size 16. In the beginning I thought me wanting to be in a 16 was unrealistic! Follow your nutritionists rules and you will be in them size 12's in no time! Good luck kay

Your goals are just that - a goal. But remember that size just as weight is a NUMBER. What is really important is your HEALTH. Given what you have described as your height/beginning weight and where you are right now, I would think that a size 12 would be realistic. I started my weight loss at 273 and am currently at 142 (-131 pounds) and am a size 8-10 (I swear the sizing has changed since I was this weight 'before' and I'm sure I was a 13-14). My questions for you are three fold - one what is your typically day of eating; two, what is your 'exercise' and three, what are you drinking? My surgeon was adamant about the fact that the surgery was a TOOL not a cure-all. He explained that those people who are most successful in this journey are those that following the 'rules'; use the first year to re-learn portion control and embrace some type of 'physical activity' as their 'friend' (I struggle with that one - too many bad PE class memories). But I still work out with my BowFlex three times a week and walk a minimum of 2 miles on the other days. Just my two cents......... Rose from PA

Hi Diana My surgeon also said that the weight loss window from the surgery was 18 months. So you still have a long way to go. I'm 5'9" and my doctor's goal for me is 200 pounds. I am only 2 pounds away but can't seem to get those 2 pounds off. I would be happy to lose another 20 but we will see....it won't make me crazy if I don't. I am pretty happy to have lost this much. I was 327 to start My surgeon did say we will discuss goal weight again when I get down to 200. So I left it at that. Anyway, take it a day at a time. Follow the plan and you will do great Sending hugs, Ronna

Hi Diana, We seem to have similar builds. I am 5" 5" (and 1/2" but that only counts for me). At my highest I was over 310. On the day of surgery, I weighed 306. I was busting out of a 26/28. I am 35 years old, have PCOS and a thyroid disorder. At nine months out I had lost 117 pounds my weight was 189 I was in a 12 bottoms on average, I had two size 10 bottoms and a few 14's. I got pregnant in my 10th month after surgery so my weight is up to about 195 right now. The 14's are now very very tight and the 10's and 12's are history. I am wearing a large / xlarge in maternity. I think you have plenty of time to lose more weight and should get below 200. Now I am not your doctor so that is just my opinion. God Bless! Jen

Diana, I am only 5'2" and I started out 10 pounds heavier than you did! Here I am today, 1 year post-op and I weigh 154 and in a size 12!! So to answer your question, you will ABSOLUTELY be a size 12 and under 200 pounds. Keep up the good work and congrats on your success so far! Karyn

Hi- I'm just over one year out. And I'll tell you a story. I was encouraged to do this through a friend who had RNY. I had known her before an we both comiserated over weight. After she had surgery, I was excited. I immediately made my appointment. It took me 8 months to get from first phone call to surgery. During that time, my friend lost weight. She was looking great! Right before surgery I had dinner with them and her daughter told me that her mom probably wouldn't loose any more because the surgeon told her "weight loss" stops after 6 months. I was naive. I had no idea what 6 months post surgery meant. Fast forward, I had the surgery. I'd been really busy and hadn't met with my friend. I finally had the chance to have her over for dinner. When she saw me- she screamed. I had lost over 100 pounds and reached my surgeons goal. (She had lost 80 and gained back 20). I had continued to loose after 6 months. Why? Because no one told me I couldn't. Because I kept at the diet and kept working out. I'm 12 months out and I hope to keep loosing for a few more months to drop another 20 pounds. If I had stopped at my surgeons goal I'd be a size 14. Well now I'm between a 10 and 12 and my goal is to be an 8. I know I can do it. But it takes work. I work out 5 times a week and I try to watch what I eat. I'm not always perfect. But I know how to do it. If I don't loose any more I'll still be thrilled with the results...but...I'm going to keep trying for that size 8!