Questions for you experienced women

I have all kinds of questions. I'm 7 months post-op and have lost 115 pounds. Yippee. I always heard that you can expect to lose half as much weight the second 6 months as you did in the first 6  months. So if you lose 100 pounds the first 6 months, you'll lose about 50 pounds the next 6 months. Has that been your experience? Also, this SKIN. I look like Jabba the Hutt, all of a sudden. Does any of that bounce back after a year or so, or is it pretty definite I need brachioplasty? I'm 46 years old. And one other question. Has anybody developed complications a year or more after surgery? I'm always on the RNY board and don't know what to expect after I have my anniversary in August. So far, so good, except for this skin thing.

Dear Wanda, I am at 16 months and have lost 214 total and am still losing.  I had lost 114 by the six month mark and another 70 at the year mark.  I don't know about finding a standard pattern of weight loss as everyone seems to have very different experiences.  I've never had a stall or plateau that wasn't directly related to my own level of compliance.   As for the skin, I don't have good news for you.  While you can build muscle to help with definition, the skin just doesn't "spring back" like we'd want.  I am about your age and just had the arm lift and a breast reduction.  I'll do the tt latter.   Best of luck, Sally

Everyone experience will be different in how they lose weight.  For me I lost consistently throughout.  It was a whole year before I reached the 100 pound mark.  However I started at 275.  I  now range b/n 165/170 at almost 4 years out.  There is no guarantee just b/c u lost 60 pounds the first 6 months that u will lose equally the next  6 months.  For most they will lose most the first 6 months, then it will slow down. My skin did even out some after a year or so.  I still have a little excess skin.  I have not experienced any problems so far.

Thank you, it's great to hear from people who are still doing well on down the road. You always hear about the bad stuff.

Just a comment about the skin.  I am 50 and have almost finished with the weight loss after 1 year.  Unfortunately, at this age, the skin is not going to bounce back.  I always had good legs when I was heavy - now my thighs are like crepe paper.  I will have to wear 3/4 length sleeves the rest of my life.  I can't afford plastic surgery at this point, and my friend had the arm surgery and it really didn't do that much for her.  Between the scars and the lumpy elbows, she's opting for 3/4 length sleeves, too. It's a small price to pay for my health and wearing a size 12.  But I am aware of it every day, and I can't deny that.  I am getting used to it... Barb