Question:
Does losing 10% prior to WLS affect how fast you lose after surgery?

My surgeon required that I lose 10% of my weight before surgery, which I did, but now after having Lap RNY on 4/29/02 I feel like I'm losing super slowly! Would having lost the 10% prior contribute to me being a slow loser? I've only lost 33 pounds since surgery, but with my 10% I've lost 57 pounds total. I'm very happy to have lost 57 pounds overall, but I feel discouraged that I have only lost 33 pounds in almost 3 months..I guess I had hoped I'd lose faster!    — Binxalways (posted on July 16, 2002)

July 16, 2002
I started out at 339, lost 50lbs 4 months before my surgery and since surgery (March 6, 2002) have lost another 80lbs. I would say no, but I have been hitting plateaus like crazy.
   — Angie B.

July 16, 2002
You are losing weight just fine. Some doctors want their patients to lose the 10% because, knowing we are going to have the surgery, a lot of us, and I am one of them, pig out on "last suppers". This causes fat to accumulate on our liver. It makes it a bit more difficult for the surgeon to operate because the liver is right there near the stomach. Losing 10% will help eleviate the "fatty" liver.
   — Kim B.

July 17, 2002
One question: How did you lose the weight? If you are doing any kind of muscle-building exercise you may be building muscle at the same time you are losing fat. Be sure to keep track of your measurements as well as your weight. Also most folks go thru an early plateau. I lost 15 pounds before surgery doing weight training and eating sensibly. I only had the one plateau from weeks 3-6, then slowed down when I reached my top goal at seven months and lost s-l-o-w-l-y until I reached my current weight at 10 months. I felt like losing that little bit of weight up front helped me recover faster and feel better. You don't seem to have that much to lose--33 pounds in 3 months is 11 pounds a month. That's great! Add the additional 24 pounds off has got to make you feel good, too!
   — ctyst