Question:
I lost 80% of my excess fat from gastric bypass and tummy tuck. What is the average

or normal amount most people lose from gastric bypass and tummy tuck. I lost 80% of excess weight in a period of year and three months. Is that the average for this surgery?    — Judy W. (posted on November 5, 2003)

November 5, 2003
My surgeon provided to me the general parameters that "most" of his patients lose betwen 50-70% of their EXCESS weight with the bypass surgery. I questioned him on how does one determine "excess" weight unless you have a goal weight at which you should settle. He was a little abstract on that one. You've done GREAT!!! Congratulations.
   — Kimberly L. A.

November 5, 2003
I have heard those percentages before, however I have yet to see the study where those were performed. I think those figures are given out because none of us need to have the impression we will lose it all. Or look like Barbie when we are done. I also think that is why most surgeons dont offer a goal weight. This surgery isnt instant success or total succuss for anyone, we know this. I think that is just a warning for us all....to be realistic with your expectations of this surgery. I lost all of my excess weight. That is the exception, not the norm. hmmm..tangent? Sorry :)
   — RebeccaP

November 5, 2003
Like the others said it all depends on how your determine what your initial excess is. If I got by what the MetLife height weight charts say then I will never lose 100% of my excess weight and I hav eno desire to weigh 156 at 5'9. If I got by what my surgeon and I have set as a goal weight which is 200 lbs, then I am confident I will lose it all. My ideal is to get to goal then do the abdominoplasty which would put me in the 185 range likely. 177-180 is the lowest I ever want to get to and will do my best to stay there. Less than that and I will look too thin for how I am built, not to mention I would have to spend the next 5 years in PS to remove all the excess skin. Coming from 442 and even going to 200 leaves lots of skin baggage, especially when you are 42 and stretched it out a 2nd time by 200 lbs. I'll get rid of what I feel truly needs to be done, but do not want to spend more on PS than my WLS costs.
   — zoedogcbr

November 5, 2003
I went to my dr yesterday and we discussed that very thing. He asked me what I was hoping for. I told him that even tho I'm only 5'4", I didn't think I wanted to get lower than about 150 and would be happy anywhere between 170 and 150. He said the charts put me around 130, but if you tack on 30% (meaning you lost 70% of excess), that would bring it up to 169. So he felt it would be very doable. Since I haven't been under 145 in 35 years, I think my goal is realistic. He said 70% loss is what most of the drs who have been involved in WLS have experienced over the years. Besides, I know realistically that if I got down to 130, it would be much harder to maintain without feeling deprived.
   — lharbison

November 5, 2003
I lost 100% of my excess weight and fat with my WLS and tt. I was done at about month 10 post-op.
   — Patty H.

November 5, 2003
I believe that the previous poster was correct that the average number is 50-70%. I also think that you can lose as much as you want if you are super compliant. I am 9 1/2 months out and have lost 119 of the 130 I had to lose and that puts me at 91.5% of my excess weight lost.
   — Carol S.