Question:
Can I Extend My "Window of Opportunity"?

I am a slow loser--and I'm not complaining--very grateful for every pound that has come off, and would not have w/o this surgery. However, will my "window" be extended by doing the program more perfect? In other words is the window time dependent or compliance dependent? Am I making sense? I know my water and excercise compliance could be improved. Thanks to everyone who is so willing to share.    — Wannabe A. (posted on March 29, 2003)

March 29, 2003
I'm only 2 mos PO so I'm no expert here, but my understanding of why out window of opportunity closes down is two fold - we lighten up on the eating restrictions and therefore eat more carbs, sweets, calories etc. and because our small intestine learns to absorb stuff again by growing vili (sp?). There is no way to determine exactly when the absorption will increase and this is not controllable from what I understand. How you eat, obviously can be controlled. Just keep plugging away and find some exercise you enjoy and you'll be even more successful than you already have been.
   — zoedogcbr

March 29, 2003
I'm not exactly sure what it depends on. Ofcourse, if you completely follow all rules and exercise often, you will lose weight faster and will most likey lose it all. But that will probably happen within the 18 month window. And maybe our bodies just need to catch up after a while of losing, so it slows down. And we need to stop sometimes, for those who reach a goal, can't keep losing and waste away to nothing. If you are worried about not losing all your weight in the "window," or if you were to happen gain some weight, it is much easier to lose again post-op than it is pre-op. This is a tool and it can work to our advantage even if we eventually gain. Goodluck to you!
   — Lezlie Y.

March 29, 2003
I don't know everything about it, but Michelle Curran advised me about the extra villi growing and therefore causing more absorbtion. She advised that you can "trick" your body into believing everything is the same as preop and trick it into NOT trying to correct the malabsorbtion by taking all your vitamins and supplements. The body does not sense anything is missing and therefore it will not try to "heal" itself. Makes sense to me! I have also heard that the common channel will actually grow longer in order to compensate for the bypassed intestine. This is called hypotrophy. It is just the opposite of atrophy which means the wasting away of muscle or an organ. Anybody else have more information on this?
   — Mylou52

March 30, 2003
I don't know that I would worry so much about extending as I would maximizing. Our bodies are all different and we all will have somewhat different "windows of opportunity"...which we cannot control. What we can do though, is take advantage of this time to make lifestyle changes that will carry us through and beyond what ever window we are alotted. If you go easy on yourself (food, water, carbs, vites, exercise) early on when the weight is just falling off, you may find that it is harder to lose, or maintain, later on when the going gets a bit tougher. Best of luck to you!
   — eaamc