Question:
18 - 24 months for TOTAL weight loss, is this true?

Hi, I am almost 9 months post op. I started at 257 and am down to 169. Boy has my weight loss slowed down tho. I have been at this weight for quite sometime now. I do recall hearing at one time that it takes 18 - 24 months to completely take all the weight off, is this true? My eating habits have definately changed since right after surgery, i can pretty much eat whatever I want to now and I think that may have a little to do with the slowed down weight loss.    — Karen W. (posted on August 27, 2003)

August 27, 2003
I'm just over 2 years out and have not lost anything in to really speak of in about a year. I've had my staples checked, everything is fine. I have no idea why I have not lost anything since. I can eat anythink I want and not be effected. I guess you could say I lost what I was going to in the first 12 months. I would still like to lose about 40 or 50 more pounds. Wondering if I could have the band in addition to the stapeling???? Anyone have any idea if this has been done??? Anyfeed back would be great...thanks terri
   — Terri H.

August 27, 2003
I am 18 months and started exactly where you did. I got down to 153 and gradually made my way back up to 159. I am still trying to get back down to 155. All I can do is tell you to stick with it. And congrats on your lost.
   — Chris9672

August 27, 2003
I've heard 18 - 24 months before your "window" closes and it becomes "harder" to lose weight. In terms of reaching goal though, I know people that have reached it in 6 - 12 months. I know people who have taken years. I know people who haven't reached it at all. It just depends. I don't believe the "window" truly closes. I think it just gets harder to lose after that. Now that I think about it, I really haven't lost more than a few pounds since about 18 months out. I'm always going up and down the same 5 - 8 pounds. I did reach my doctor's goal of a normal BMI though, but wouldn't mind losing a few more pounds.
   — mom2jtx3

August 27, 2003
I agree that you basically have a "window" of opportunity for 18 to 24 months. However, there's no guarantee that you will continue to lose for that long. It's easy to misinterpret people when you're just reading a post on the internet. So, let me say up front, that I'm saying this gently and with total compassion........your changed eating habits have EVERYTHING to do with the slowed down weight loss. Like others have said here - I hate to see people post "25 pounds or 50 pounds gone FOREVER". Not everyone fully understands surgical weight loss. It's not a CURE. As we've said so many times - it's a tool. For me it has been the most amazing and miraculous tool. It is absolutely the most effective means of attaining and sustaining substantial weight loss. But, we have to put forth more effort the further out we get. I, too, have gotten lazy and gained a pound here and there and I have to thank GOD for Michelle Curran. Her success inspired me to get even more serious about protein and eating right. I RELIGIOUSLY supplement my protein and have cut out sweets except for an atomic fireball here and there (instead of 5 or 6 a day) and 2 Hershy's kisses one of our volunteers brings me every Wednesday. I have hugely reduced my carb intake as well. I gained about 10 pounds over the last 18 months following double mastectomy. Thanks to my newly revamped attitude toward nutrition I have dropped 6.1 pounds. Do I feel as though I'm on a diet? NO. It's been amazing. I feel so good! You are so brave and courageous to have chosen weight loss surgery. If you get back on track you will lose more. You're worth the effort! Just don't fall into the misconception that WLS doesn't take any effort and you'll do fine! Best wishes to you and I hope I didn't offend anyone.
   — ronascott

August 27, 2003
The reason the weight loss slows down is because we are consuming more calories than we did as earlier post-ops and apparently at around 12-24 months (different for everyone) you reach that magic # which maintains your loss or horrors, you gain some. Its still the old game of calories in = calories out. Add to that the age factor, where every year you get older, the metabolism slows a little, so less calories to maintain the same loss. So, altho it is very difficult to continue to lose the further out we get, with hard work (EXERCISE), eating right, tons of water and a reduction of calories you can continue to lose, its just harder. I am 18 mo post-op and although I could lose more if I wanted to, I'm comfortable with the amount of what I can eat now and am just not willing to cut the food, or up the exercise any more to get there!
   — Cindy R.

August 27, 2003
You and I started out at about the same weight. I got all of my weight off by about 10 1/2 months post-op. This was after I had my tt. My weight loss slowed down from about month 4 and after. Each month it got a little harder and at about month 7 I didn't lose ANY weight for about 6 weeks!! Then it started up again right before I had my tt. By the time I had the tt done at month 9 I had went from 248 to 140. I lost the remaining 15 pounds by month 10 or so. I think it's REAL important to exercise. That's probably why I lost my weight so quickly. I started exercising 5 days a week at month 2 and continued until I had my tt at month 9. If you aren't exercising, start doing so and the rest of the weight will fall off. I haven't had ANY weight loss since about month 10 but that's probably because I'm at my goal weight and my body has just stopped losing weight.
   — Patty H.