Question:
Anyone start out at around 220 and reach goal?

I will be having LAP RNY before the end of the year. My starting weight will be around 220 (haven't weighed lately, scared to) and I am diabetic, insulin dependent, with high cholesterol. I am 36 years old. Question: Being a "lightweight", have you lost very slowly? Being diabetic, did that affect your weight loss?    — SandyParker (posted on October 18, 2002)

October 18, 2002
I am a lightweight. 5'1 207 starting weight. Barely made the minimum weight but I had been 90 lbs overweight for 5 years. I am 55 days post-op. I have lost 50lbs. Don't look at others progress it judge your own. remember if you work out that musels weighs more than fat. Inches are just or more important than the scale. I judge me weight loss by how I fit into a pair of leans. Once that pair is too big then I move onto another pair that I can just get on but are too tight to button/wear. It is easier on the mind than weighing. Scales don't measure success, your smile does. It is so fun to feel normal again (size 12/14). Good Luck. Bobbi [email protected]
   — Bobbi H.

October 18, 2002
I had my lap RNY on 5/10/2001. I started at 230 pounds, 22W/2-3X. I reached my top goal at 7 months out and my current weight at 10.5 months. I am at 18 months out now and maintaining just fine. Currently 130 pounds, 6-8P/Small. Oh, and I am 5'1". I had an early plateau and a slow loss of the last 15 pounds, but other than that I lost like gangbusters. :)
   — ctyst

October 18, 2002
I am 5'4" and my start weight was 224. At 7 weeks post-op, I have lost 30 pounds, and my cholesterol level has dropped nearly 50% (from 228 to 116). My doctor explained that "lightweights" will not lose as fast, but the weight will come off. Good luck! (Lap RNY 8/29/02)
   — Elizabeth S.

October 18, 2002
Yes, I would like to reiterate that a 'LW' doesn't lose as fast, your loss slows earlier, but its all because you reach goal a lot quicker. There were times that I was seeing people lose 100 lbs. in 6 months and I turned green in jealousy. But what is exciting is being less than a year out and at goal!!
   — Cheri M.

October 18, 2002
I started at 240 and I am down 85 at 6 months post op. I am about 15 lbs from goal now. It is going slower now, but it is still going. I go down a size about every 2 months instead of every month. It just started slowing down about a month ago. I am still very happy with my results.
   — Michell C.

October 18, 2002
I started out at 268 with a BMI of 40.7 so I was a lightweight too. I am five months post op and 10 pounds from goal. I have lost 97.5 pounds so far and went from a size 24 to an 8. I was diabetic also and had high cholesteral too. Diabetes is gone and cholesteral is fine now. For more details read my profile. Feel free to emai me with any questions.
   — Linda A.

October 20, 2002
My highest weight was 240...I lost down to 222 on my initial consult...one week pre op I was up to 226...and on day of surgery, after five days of that awful pre op liver shrinking diet that my surgeon makes you go on, I was 214 as I was being wheeled into surgery...I reached goal by 6 months post op...had my TT at 8 months post op...went from size 22/24 to a size 2/4 now. I now weight 123 as of this a.m. :0) Have a Sparkling Day!! ~CAE~
   — Mustang

October 20, 2002
I've been a Type 1, insulin dependent diabetic since I was 10 years old, (27 now) and just had surgery a month ago. I was a bit bigger than you (283 lbs.), but have lost about 23 lbs. so far. I too was worried about how the insulin and my sugars would factor into my weight loss, but so far, I seem to be about average with everyone else's progress at this point. Because I'm a Type 1 diabetic, I will most likely be on insulin forever, but I have gone down from about 120 units a day to 40!!! Please e-mail me if you have any other questions about surgery and diabetics - would love to chat since insulin dependents bring a whole other set of issues with this surgery. Amy
   — A. V.