I am 44 yrs old, 6 ft tall, and weigh 232 lbs. My overall health is excellent,
no diabetes, or other health risks. Great labs, slightly low blood pressure, no general complaints. I eat healthy, smoke half a pack a day, and do not drink. I look like the typical diabetic, and have the "apple on toothpicks" shape, carrying all my weight in my abdomen, however, again, I am not diabetic or even close. Just fat in the center.



Four years ago, after having 4 children total, I had a total hysterectomy. Within a year I had gained 60 lbs., weighed 287 lbs by then and injured my back. I made changes to my diet and lost 55lbs without doing anything drastic to do so, and have maintained this weight for two years. I have always had bad experiences with restrictive diets, in that whatever weight I lost initially, I gained back and then some, so I don't want to go more restrictive in my diet than I am now. That is how I got even this heavy to begin with. Lost 10-15 lbs, gained back 20 or more. Atkins, sugar busters, hollywood diet...Bah!




Problem: my back doctor whom I trust implicitly, tells me he will not fix my two blown disks (ruptured/evacuated/herniated l3-4 and l4-5) in my back until my weight is down further, to 210 lbs or lower. He states, and I do not doubt him, that any more weight on the fusion could have very adverse effects, especially since I have a high center of gravity being so tall.



You would not think 22 lbs would be such a stretch for someone who has already lost twice that, but it will not come off! Exercising is not an option due to the condition of my back, and my diet is as restrictive as I will go for fear of gaining more later.




So, I am looking at mass volume liposuction (defined by most as the removal of more than 5 liters of fat in one session) and a tummy tuck (would be nice to be rid of my apron belly anyway after 4 kids) as a means to lose the weight. As I said above, I carry all my weight in my abdomen. I do not expect to have 22 pounds of fat removed. I expect to lose weight as a result of having surgery at all, to make a total of enough lost overall, to have back surgery.

I have read alot of differing opinions as to it's (liposuction) effectiveness and that 80-90 percent of all patients gain this weight back within one year. I have seen a recurring statement about a persons pre-disposition toward a "remembered" weight, and that troubles me more than anything.



Question: if I have been able to maintain this same weight, to the pound, consistently for two years with no setback whatsoever, am I a good candidate for the 10% who do not gain the weight back?

Or is there some underlying reason people gain that weight back other than they lose sight of what they want and revert back to old habits? Am i, or is anyone else pre-disposed to some weight and no matter what we do short of severe restriction, we will return to that weight? What a depressing thought!



Feedback please!? =)