what % of grads regain?

I am still in my honeymoon period...ten months out, but I'm trying to prepare myself forwhere I may end up--and what to expect. I started at 227 and I am now at 153. I would like to lose another 10 --dare I say 15---pounds. Although, truth be told if I stay where I am I'll be happy. I've had to rebuy clothes several times. I'm trying not to invest too much into clothes--but I do work in a professional job--and thus have to look decent. Any ideas here? When should I expect it to become harder to maintain...do you think I'll continue to lost? Help! (and thanks) Kim

You have a good shot at continuing to lose.  This is from the American Society for Bariatric Surgery about long-term results. with gastric bypass. http://www.asbs.org./html/rationale/rationale.html

"Weight loss usually reaches a maximum between 18 and 24 months postoperatively."--that means you still have time.

After that, the challenge is keeping it off. Again from the ASBS, "At 5 years, weight loss after gastric bypass ranges from 48% of excess weight to 74%." (Just to do the math, if you were 100 pounds overweight, at 5 years, most people would be somewhere in the range of 52 pounds below their highest weight to 74 pounds below (on average). There are those who will do better, but just as many who do worse. 

Everyone doesn't have an equal chance of regain. Reinhold (J of American College of Nutrition) reported that about 30% of patients begin to regain at 18 months-2 years. His group linked regain to binge eating behaviors prior to surgery and he suggested that exceptionally slow metabolism (thyroid, etc) should be studied in those *****gain.  Good luck!

Kim; It's hard to say without knowing what you eat, how much you exercise, etc. I started at 253. At 10 months post-op, I was 147. I was stalled at 147 for like 9 weeks and thought I was done losing. Then, I dropped to 144 (my goal weight). I was ecstatic and since I was at goal, went on a buying spree. Then a month later, I dropped to 140. And the following month, 136 and the following month, 132. So, all the clothes I bought at 144 are now two sizes too big. And since I'm now in the process of researching plastic surgery, I'll likely lose another size with my tummy tuck, so... Check out coldwatercreek.com. They have an online outlet. I bought a lot of my clothes from there and was always able to find cute things that fit my transition wardrobe budget of $15/piece or $30/outfit. Now, their clothes are too big for me, so I'm having to find new places to shop. Good luck!

I have my 2 year surgiversary next week, and I've not gained any back yet.  I did gain about 7 pounds (I was traveling) but am now back down way below goal and trying to stop losing.  LOL  It's so different for everyone.  I started around 240 and am now at 123, so we are about the same as far as weight to lose.  ;-)  Just stay on track, work the tool, and it'll work for you.  By the way, by month 7 I had lost almost 100 pounds and the rest has just trickled off little by little.   Good luck!

I lost all my weight by around 18 months post-op.  I have kept my weight off for 3+ years, currently at 115 pounds.   My routine is this.  I jump out of bed every morning and before brushing my teeth I weigh myself.  This keeps me on the straight and narrow and I nip in the bud 1-3 pounds either way.  I watch what I eat daily.  I am a size 2-4 now, and although most people would say why bother being so strict.  It was hard work and painful to get to where I am at and I want to avoid ever being back there again.  It is a small price to pay to be called "thin".  I can finally buy whatever I want, wear whatever I want, and I love my life.  I don't mind eating healthy because I feel so good.  Yes, I cheat and eat candy, bread, and pasta, but I do it all very sparingly and with an eye on everything that goes into my mouth.  Losing weight is easier than keeping it off, that's hard work.  Hugs to all.  Missy

AMEN! April 275/128/135  5'1

I'm 18 months out and have not gained any weight back. I was 187 since January and all of a sudden dropped to 185. I've been maintaining that and I'm pretty happy with that.  My goal is to be 175 but If I don't make it, I'll take 185 lbs.  I eat normal just in moderation. I also weigh every morning. It keeps me on track.  Good luck in your journey!!

Everyone looses weight at different rates.  At 9 months I had lost 99 pounds and I hit a stall that lasted 2 months.  I thought I was done.  The weight loss slowly picked up and I lost another 28 pounds in about 4 months.  I have maintained my weight for 5 months and now I am taking the next step of plastic surgery.  I would occasionally change my food choices and exercise routine and that helped to pick up the wight loss some.  I also weigh myself every morning first thing to keep my weight in check.  If I gain 1-2 pounds it is usually because I have found myself grazing and I need to get back to the program.  You should still have time to still loose more weight as long as you are using your tool correctly.  gGood Luck!

Most of the 'studies' done on weight loss after GBS were done years ago.  If you will watch the posts of people on here and other WL message boards, you can pretty much tell that regain is pretty much a VERY common thing the further out you get.  HOW MUCH you regain is totally up to you! 

When I had this surgery six years ago, people would say 'I'll never have to diet again' and they were SOOOOO wrong!  You have 18 months for the 'tool' to do most of the work and then you are ON YOUR OWN as though you never had surgery in the first place.  If you go back to your former eating habits, you will gain as long as you eat like that. 

For me, I have a 'magic number' on the scale.  Once I get to that number, I get back to eating right and drinking the water and it comes off again.  I know if I ate bad all the time, I could gain ALL my weight back and probably more!  I have to work at keeping my weight off as though I never had surgery at all. 

I am currently five pounds from my lowest weight but I've been almost 30 pounds heavier and I won't allow myself to get any higher.  In fact, I've lowered my 'number' so that I won't get even 10 pounds heavier than I am now.  That means I have to be good 95% of the time!  If I do mess up and eat wrong, I have to start all over the next day and eat like a healthy person.  I feel much better when I stick to the proteins and veggies and fruit anyway.  When I eat too much fat or sugar I really suffer for it, so that keeps me in line, which is why I had this surgery in the first place.

HOW MUCH you gain is up to you!  You don't have to gain at all if you don't want to!  Just remember, NOTHING tastes as good as being thin feels!

By month 14 I had lost the majority of my weight (144 pounds) it took 6 more months to lose 16 pounds but I have managed to rather easily keep  off the 160 for almost 2 years now, I will be 4 years post of 9/17/07. My experience has been different than most though because no matter what I do I cant seem to lose...I bounce 3 pounds down and up and have been doing that for about 18 months now. My doctor no longer believes I exercise or watch what I eat BUT I know how hard I still work. I am very please to be 160 pounds lighter and a size 12 instead of a 32 jean but boy oh boy do i want to get under 200. Good luck I do very much belive in the RNY!!!! Diana RNY 9/17/03 360/200/still aiming for 180