Bariatric Surgery/Not losing!

Advertisement

Expert: - 6/23/2009


Question
Hi I had my surgery 8/11/08. I am 5'4 and went in at 262 and am now 195. I do not seem to be losing much. Shouldn't I have lost more by now? I follow my doctors orders but seem to only loose about lbs a month now. In the beginning I lost about 10 lbs a month. A few of my friends think it is because my  doctor had me on solid foods too early(after about a week. Also does drinking affect weight loss? I wanted to have lost it all within a year as I was told but it doesn't seem like I will.( I've got about 1.5 mos. to go!) What can I do to loose that last 50!!

Answer
In order to answer your question, I need more information...

What type of bariatric surgery did you have?  Did you have Gastric Bypass or did you have Lap Band surgery?  Weight loss differs dramatically depending upon which of these you had.

Also, when you say "drinking", do you mean alcohol or drinking liquids with meals?  My answer will depend upon what you mean.

The sooner you provide the answers to my questions, the sooner I can provide the answer to yours.

Thanks,
Steve

Bariatric Surgery

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Steven West

Expertise

I can answer any and all questions from the perspective of a weight loss surgery patient. I have had Gastric Bypass Surgery - Roux-en-Y - and can answer questions from the perspective of one who has experienced the pain and suffering of murderous obesity. I have mustered the courage to open myself to the opportunity to live life again! Let me help you get there, too! Weight loss surgery isn't for everyone, but for those who fit some specific criteria, it is a viable option. With the rise in obesity in America, there are suddenly weight loss surgery centers springing up on every street corner, it seems. Choosing to have weight loss surgery is a major decision in your life, and choosing the right center can mean the difference between weight loss success and failure. There are three main types of weight loss surgery being performed today at most all surgical weight loss clinics: the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, which creates a small stomach pouch and bypasses part of the small intestine; the Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, which is similar to the first surgery, but is done laparoscopically, so it reduces the size of the incision, and reduces the pain and recovery time of the surgery, and the LAP-BAND surgery, which is a band fastened around the stomach to create a small pouch. Weight Loss surgery is not for everyone who is obese. In most cases, candidates must be at least 100 pounds overweight. Surgery should be the last resort, rather than a quick-fix. Surgery is a long-term answer to managing your weight, and you need to be aware it will change your life.

Experience

I am a post operative patient of Weight Loss Surgery (Gastric Bypass, RNY). I am interested in providing coaching for pre-operative and post-operative patients.

Organizations
Member of obesityhelp.com.

Publications
Profiled in Obesity Help Magazine.

Education/Credentials
Bachelors Degree in Computer Science. I am an engineer working for Computer Sciences Corporation in the Washington, D.C. area.

Awards and Honors
I am a retired veteran with over twenty years of U.S. Naval Service.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.