If I weight 258 now, how much am I expected to lose if I get this surgery?
Hi Haley,
It's really impossible to say without more information. Things like height, sex, and age matter. For instance, I weighed 277 on surgery day and am down to 157 less than a year later (I am actively trying not to lose any more weight as a man standing 5'9")
My weight loss is not typical at all, but it is possible to lose an extreme amount with this surgery, quickly even. The logic I used was that my problem was always that I ate way way way too much at meals, I simply needed a smaller stomach. If a person is the type to snack here and there all day, or drink too many of their calories, the RNY (bypass) seems like it might be a better option because you won't end up absorbing all the calories you are putting in your body here and there all day long. If you're like me and getting all your calories in 3-4 big meals a day, the VSG could be what you need to succeed.
RNY may be a little more effective long-term and produce faster results, but there is the trade-off of it being a bit more of a complicated procedure with more possible complications, and the fact you won't absorb what you're putting in your body as well (think vitamins and essential nutrients). There are probably a lot of minor differences as well, I notice a bit of difference in which foods I tolerate well compared to my partner, who had the bypass.
So to answer your question, maybe you'd lose a little more with the RNY and have better success long-term. It's all going to come down with how well you stick to eating right and exercising, whichever choice you make. I wouldn't want to steer you strongly in one direction or the other, that's for you and your medical professionals to decide.
It mostly depends on you. I know people who had VSG or RNY. Some lost all the excess weight and maintain, others lost all the excess, regained some, lost that regain again, and so on. And I know a number of people who lost 60-70 lbs only, never got to their goal weight, and then started regaining, gaining back all they lost, and then added some more lbs.
As someone else said, it depends on you. Your age, health, and overall body structure. And your dedication. Some people rather have freedom to eat almost anything, than to be skinny. Some set up their realistic weight-size that they can maintain without starving themselves, or get extreme exercise. Others believe that "nothing taste as good as being thin feels", and they work really hard on maintaining weight loss, and stay skinny.
At one time I got too thin for me. I have a large frame plus muscles and when I got to my "ideal BMI weight" I felt horrible. I looked great in clothes but not so nice without them (practically transparent skin, some muscles and bones).
Eventually I was able to gain some weight. if you ask me, bit too much. I planned to gain 10-15, but once I started gaining, I gained additional 15 lbs. And honestly - since my weight is stable now, and I can enjoy larger variety of foods (even pasta, ice cream, chocolate), I don't really care if lose the extra 15 lbs or not. When I was at my thinnest - I had too eat regardless if I wanted or not. Now I can eat a meal, or skip if I am not hungry.
Good luck.
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."