Question:
RNY loss
Hi..i know that I am not a RNY patient but...i went to my support meeting the other day where the majority of patients are RNY due to the fact that the BPD/DS doctor went to another hospital. My question is this...why does it seem that the RNY patients all lose so slowly? Maybe it's just me but, I have a friend who started out at 330 6 weeks ago, lost 25 pounds the first 2 weeks and has now only lost a total of 31 pounds? She even gained a pound and I know she is doing everything right. She was not the only one. There were 2 more patients who also had RNY at the same time she did and have lost no more than 38 pounds each (one 38 and the other 31) Each of these women were well over 300 pounds at the start if not closer to 400. I think that I would have been so frustrated had I been that weight and had only lost that much in 6 weeks. At that point (6 weeks) I had already lost at least 45 pounds and had only started at 280. I know that there are plateaus but seems weird that they are all going through this at the same time. I mean a 2-3 week plateau by all concerned at the same time seems alittle strange. Is this normal for the RNY? I am just asking because my friend is very frustrated right now and feels she made the wrong decision and should have had the BPD/DS possibly. I want to be able to reassure her if I can but have to say that the doctors seemed very unconcerned about it and said it was great weight loss. I just sat there thinking "better them than me". Doc's said how you feel is more important than how you look. Well, I agree to a point but, if we all were honest, we would all admit that looking good was a part of why we had this surgery..not solely for the physical effects that are so wonderful. Thanks for giving you input guys. I am just very unfamiliar with how fast the RNY works. Barbara Henson ([email protected]) 6/99--280 BPD/DS 6/00--114 — Barbara H. (posted on July 9, 2000)
July 8, 2000
I am an RNY patient who has lost 188 lbs in nine months. Not all lose
slowly. I think it has to do with the individual and the the size of
stomach etc. Do all the people in your group have the same dr. That might
account for some of it.
— snicklefritz
July 8, 2000
I think that there are several important things to consider here: every
person's metabolism is different, and therefore we will all lose weight at
slightly different rates...and each surgeon has varying approaches to WLS,
which may lead to different lengths of bypassed intestine, in turn
affecting the rate of weight loss...lastly, are patients strictly adhering
to the post-op dietary guidelines, including the recommended water intake,
as this will certainly affect weight loss. All those things being said,
there is still the issue of plateaus which I have found inevitable
regardless of the many weight loss programs I have gone through. Perhaps
BPD/DS patients happily may see less of those primarily because of the
malabsorption factor associated with that procedure. My daughter and I had
lap RNYs this year...she weighed 405 pre-op, and my weight was 312. She
had lost 45 lbs by the 3 week check-up (!) and now, at 6 mos. has lost 110
lbs. I was losing much more slowly in comparison to her (which I found
really frustrating) and had only lost 20 lbs at the 3 week check-up. I was
assured that my surgeon's expectation was that his patients would generally
lose 20-30 lbs within the first month, and 8-10 lbs every month thereafter
following a roux-n-Y. I have since "picked up the pace" and at
my recent 3 mo. check had lost 72 lbs. Our surgeon explained that the
plateaus are an expected and "necessary" event which give your
body an opportunity to "regroup and normalize" and adjust its
metabolism during this weight loss process...also important in minimizing
the problem of sagging skin. In closing, I would like to stress that
perhaps it's not which road we take, but that we start and finish the
journey together which is really important. We are all certain that we
have chosen just the right procedure and just the right surgeon and
consequently, we sometimes seem a little too eager to defend our own
personal choices without giving other's proper credit for their
decision-making. Positive attitudes and receiving strong support
throughout this process can mean more to each of us than almost anything
else. Continued best wishes to you and to your friends!
— Diana T.
July 8, 2000
One factor to consider is age. It has been my experience that
the older you are the slower your metabolism. I know mine
slowed down tremdously after I hit 30. I am now 36, 2 months
post-op from open rny and have lost 50 lbs. I'm very satisfied
with my weight loss. I've certainly never lost 50 lbs. in 2 months
on any other plan. Tell your friend to hang in there. It doesn't
really matter how long it takes to get there as long as she
gets there and is healthy and happy.
— Tina H.
July 8, 2000
Well, this is really not such a difficult question to answer.. Depends
on the RNY surgery type there a variations ..The divided RNY has not been
around all that long. Most in my support group have lost much the same as
myself.. I have lost 130 pounds in 6 months ..that averages to 21.6
pounds per month.. Barabara you have lost 176 pounds in 13 months that's
13.5 pounds per month.. These are just the averages.. So saying slow
weightloss in RNY's humm.. Don't think so.. I'm not the exception to the
rule either. Not sure about your support group and the exact type of
surgery they had or the support and dietary requirements they were on..
RNY or BPD/DS are both tools and it's up to you how you use them. I
seem to see just the opposite as you do in DS being slow to loose..So
eye of the beholder I guess is what it boils down too..
<p>
<a href="http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/vbowen">Gastric
Bypass Information, Links and Recipes</a><br>
<p>
See my pics at
<p>
<a href=" http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/Vbowenweightloss">My
weightloss PICS</a><br>
— Victoria B.
July 8, 2000
I can only speak for myself but I wouldn't consider my weight loss slow
(RNY post-op 3 months, down 65 lbs) but everybody is different. I don't
think it's the surgery as much as it is the individual person and their
metabolism, etc., that dictates how fast we lose weight. And anyway, isn't
slower better for the body? At 6 weeks it sounds like your friends are
right on target as far as their weight loss. Mine was around the same
amount at six weeks. Besides, the first six weeks aren't for losing weight
they're for healing your body after major surgery. The weight loss will
come later. It doesn't make any difference what type of surgery your
friends had, you still could've supported their weight loss efforts. In
your follow-up post you talk about the support that is lacking on this
site, well support starts with each one of us, including you. Your friends
are feeling very worried right now and you need to reassure them that they
didn't make a mistake (because the weight WILL come off, now matter what
type of surgery) instead of getting caught up in which surgery is better.
I get the distinct feeling from your original post that you believe your
surgery is superior and you made some comments that were bound to put some
RNY people on the defensive. If you take an unbiased look at your post
you'll see what I mean. Non-inflammatory questions are always welcomed
with open arms on this site.
— Kellie L.
July 9, 2000
Hi Barbara, great question? These are they types of things
that keep us all thinking, and asking the right question. I think Diana
gave you some great answers, possitive feed back . Vicky does have a lot
of info on the RNY, that maybe could help your freind. I have not had the
BPD/DS and because I am so busy keeping up with my own program do not know
a lot about it. That in a way is sad if we are to help in support, which I
think is what your question was about we all need more answers. Now I am
exactly 5 months out Open RNY, I am 53 years old, and I have lost 79 lbs.
That is 15.8 lbs. a month. the first month I lost very quickly, and after
that I have had many plateaus. My Doctor stressed to me that even though
we like to keep track of inches and weight lost, it is more important to
keep track of percent lost. A larger , younger, person will usually loose
more lbs. faster, but the percentage may be the same as a smaller person.
I am talking two somthing compared to three or four somthing. He also
stressed that this is a tool. There is a certain amount of malabsorbtion,
which helps with loss but also mandates that you follow a high protein
diet. Was your freind , or freinds given a diet program and did they
consult with a dietician? My Doctor also stressed walking right from the
first day out, to promote healthy healing and weight loss. And then the
water, they must get in at least 64 ounces of water a day. You see I don't
know if the BPD/DS have to follow any of these guide lines or not. I
commend you for searching for knowlede for your freinds. Now I have a
thought for you to consider and please don't take offense. The written word
does not carry the emotions, smiles, facile expressions, lilt or jingle of
the spoken word. If you could now go back and reread your question, maybe
you could see why some jumped in to defend. Your second post althoug
agitated made the first more clear. Now since I have never won and award
on writing, I hope my sincere sentiments are being felt here,and I hope I
have in someway been some help. By the way I am currently on a plateau,
and fighting the munchies. Not good for me or my diet. Thanks Barbara ,
I hope you can help to motivate your freinds. Carin
— C S.
July 9, 2000
Barbara, That is a really good question. I also think that there are many
"variables" that affect the rate at which each individual loses
weight. Men, for instance will almost ALWAYS lose faster than women and I
DO think that age is also a big consideration that does affect the
individual rate of metabolism. The immediate post op diet alone could set
"slower/faster" pace as well as the physical condition of the
individual at the time of his/her surgery. I also feel that the length of
time (number of years) the individual has been obese and the number of
"diets" he/she had attempted in the past could also affect the
rate of loss. All of these things have to be taken into consideration.
The percentage of weight loss verses the amount of weight lost is the thing
to work toward however. Losing 30% of my excess weight within 3 months may
only equal 50#...for my friend, who has more weight to lose, her 30% may
equal 75#. At 3 months post, if I only lose 50# and my friend has lost
75#, I'm not doing "bad" and she's not doing
"better"...we're both right on track. And, yes, plateaus ARE
frustrating, but I'm finding out that they are just a part of the
"program" whether weight loss is through WLS or through a
conventional weight loss method. Yes, it's discouraging to see other
people lose more weight faster than we're losing, but we need to remember
that as unique individuals we all need to take one day (and each pound) at
a time. There's a phrase from an old gospel hymn that helps me out from
time to time. The hymn is called, REMIND ME, DEAR LORD", and the
phrase in that song that keeps me going is "...show me (Lord) where
you brought me from, and where I could have been..." Without my WLS,
instead of being "only" 60# lighter now, I COULD HAVE BEEN 20#
HEAVIER. Kinda puts things into perspective.
— cj T.
July 9, 2000
My research indicated that early weight losses for ALL of us were caused
mostly by restriction, making the type of surgery we had meaningless when
it comes to our 6-week stats. I agree with those who say that we all lose
at different rates based on a lot of varying factors. I don;t think our
choice of surgery becomes a factor unless it take sus longer to lose to the
weight, and then who can say which is more efficient, restriction or
malabsorption? I'm a pretty average DS post-op, started at 348 and today
weighing 220, for a 7-month loss of 128 pounds, not counting the initial
post-op weight gain. Seems to me that my stats and Vicky's are close, and
probably typical for all types of WLS in terms of percentage of excess
weight lost. BTW, vicky? When you were computing Barbara's average weight
loss, did you notice that she's at what I presume to be her goal? And that
we have no way of knowing when she reached it? Makes any attempt to average
her weight loss, let alone compare it to anyone else's, impossible, doesn't
it? :-D
— Duffy H.
July 9, 2000
thanks Duffy....I wasn't going to say anything about Victoria's calculation
due to not wanting to stir up more problems but you are right. I am at
goal and reached that number at 9 months. I am actually trying now to gain
a few pounds to be honest. That would put me at somewhere around 19 pounds
a months. (I am not the best at math so maybe 18)...thanks all for your
input and again, I don't think nor ever had thought that one surgery was
better than the other. Just hoped that I might go back to my friends and
help them understand that they are perfectly normal.
— Barbara H.
July 9, 2000
I have nothad my surgery yet but my ousin is now 7 mos post op has lost
1118lbs maybe a little more.She had the open RNY-proximal but shes followed
reccommended food plan and worksout and exercises. Everyones eight loss is
different. I had lost 43lbs in a month and a half by eating no more than
1100 cals/45 grams of fat a day and swam 2-3 hrs 3-4x a week. I hate seeing
people with attitudes and negativity. Not one person is better than the
other . WE just lose weight at different rates.
— kim H.
July 10, 2000
Interesting question! Since we all (DS, RNY, VBG) lose the fastest in
the first six months thanks to our restrictions, the
differences between the BPD/DS and the RNY are probably
not as evident early in the process as they will be later
on. I don't think their slower weight loss has anything to do with the
surgery type,
since I know a number of DSers who've lost at about the same
rate early in the process. Tell them not to compare themselves
to anyone else, but rather to compare how they feel now or six months
from now to how they felt before surgery.
— Kim H.
July 25, 2000
I can say that I only personally know open RNY patients, so other than what
I read on this website, I have none others to compare to. For myself, i
also had the RNY and at 6 weeks had lost 45 lbs. I am now just a week shy
of 3 months post op and have lost 65 lbs. Everytime I go into the chat
room i am told that that is a fast weight loss. So i guess one really
can't make a generalization as to which surgery one can lose more weight
faster with. It all depends on the foods they eat, the amount of activity,
how well they keep foods down, how much water they drink, and of course
everybody's body is different. I have never vomited since my surgery, so
that may slow my weight loss down compared with someone who vomits a few
times a week. There are so many different factors contributing to weight
loss after surgery that making a generalization is not an accurate
reflection on how well the surgery works. And in doing so it may
discourage some from having a type of WLS that may be the best one for
them.
— Crystal C.
Click Here to Return