Too "small" for surgery?

[sharonintx 1,275]

I went into surgery with a 36 BMI and no comorbities. I went to Mexico too and paid just over 4K for the sleeve. People told me I wasn't big enough, should just do it on my own ( as if I hadn't tried my entire life), and that Mexico was dangerous. Obviously, I jumped on the plane. I now have a BMI of 30 after 4 months and it keeps going down.

Do what makes you happy and give no thought to those that criticize.

[goirish78 100]

I was just sleeved on Monday, also with no co-morbidities but at a high BMI (57) after a literal lifetime of dieting and exercise (first diet started at 6 mos old when my mother was ordered to stop breastfeeding as I was gaining too much weight; my first WWers meeting was when I was 5 years old). I'd just like to make two points:

1) "Society" is in love with hypocrisy: according to the "general view", we're all supposed to be thin. If we aren't naturally thin, and we diet and exercise, we're often made fun of at the checkout line of the grocery store for being fatties buying healthy food and at the gym for being fatties on treadmills, bikes, etc. When those same diets don't work long term, we're derided as failures. However, if we try to accept our weight and live as healthfully as possible, we're chastized for being fat, lazy slobs. Then, after years of this nonsensical Catch-22, some of us seek out a surgical intervention, and are rebuffed yet again for not having done Step 1 adequately, and accused of not having enough willpower. Call me crazy, but I think that "society" can shove it.

2) So who isn't subjected to the above scenario? People who are naturally thin (whether they eat healthfully or exercise or not) and people who maybe had a little weight to lose at one point, and were fortunate enough to have metabolisms that toed the party line and got them down to where they wanted to be with small diet changes and exercise. Once in awhile, you have the "unicorns" (as I call them) who do it all with diet and exercise and lose substantial amounts of weight (in my book, >40-50 lbs) and keep it off. You know what? Those people are literally less than 3-4% (depending on which research you're reading) of the number of people who lose weight. And they're generally only accepted by the former groups if they constantly proclaim how they're a changed person and finally saw the light, etc. etc. (i.e. divesting themselves of who they were before).

Thus, for whatever it's worth, after a lifetime of observation, I've arrived at the following conclusion: Do what YOU think is right for you, and to hell with everyone else's opinions, suggestions, comments, etc. no matter how well-intentioned (or not) they may be. Only you know what your journey has been, and only you can decide what your journey will be. Surgery has risks, possible complications, is kinda scary, and will be a lot of work, and that's just the first part. It all comes down to really weighing the pros and cons in your situation and making the decision that you feel is right.

Good luck and be well!

[ShariM735 189]

I am a BMI of 40. On my chart it says morbidly obese. I have about 90 lbs. to lose. I did lose 37 lbs. on my six month supervised for insurance. That leaves me with the 90. As I was going through the various tests, they kept saying I was small. If you are listed as morbidly obese, you are definitely NOT small. I am 5'2" and weigh 220. Surgery is Monday, July 22. I can't wait!

Sent from my iPhone using VST

[Truckerchic_M 92]

I love when people tell me "o your not that big" as im pushing almost 300lbs..I just smile and say you want my body for a few days?

When you can no longer take the weight mentally or physically and you know you have tried your best and worst (unsafe measures) to lose it, its time. Only you live in your body and know when your ready BMI is only a number.

Good luck!

[abranewme 98]

Looking for your opinions. My BMI hovers around 40' date=' no comorbids, although family history of all them. I'm going through all the pre-op steps. This morning at upper GI the radiology tech said he didn't think I was big enough to go through "all that", meaning wls. My surgeon, who is obviously on board with me getting surgery, also mentioned that I was "skinny" which was very weird to hear. Maybe he meant in relation to other patients? He was talking about how that makes me a good candidate for easier recovery, I think.

I feel very fat. Can't walk more than a couple of blocks. Wear 2x clothes. I don't feel small by any stretch of the imagination. I have at least 80 lbs to lose to be in the "normal" range. I know I could do it through diet/exercise. Well, maybe not all of it, but probably 40-50, and I'd still be pretty overweight. I've done it many times. I've been on phentermine four times, each time for about a year. Even that isnt' working anymore. Whatever weight I get to -it's not sustainable. My mother died last year from so many things related to/made worse by her obesity I know where I am headed and don't want that life.

I've done a lot of research and know what is involved with surgery. I want the sleeve because I want this tool to help me get to and stay at a good weight. I know that most of the work will be mine (not the sleeve's) and that psychologically it's a big change as well. But now that I've heard these two comments I am questioning my judgement.

No one in my life knows I am going to do this. I think I know what the general public thinks of weight loss surgery. I want to ask this generally pro-sleeve community what it thinks. Are some people "too small" for everything involved in the sleeve surgery to be worth it? Is there a chance this is a bad idea and I'll regret it in the long term? Knowing what you know, are there people in your life who are very overweight that you think should not do surgery even if they want to? What is your opinion? Any input welcome!

Thank you in advance.[/quote']

We r the same stats and I'm getting sleeved Thursday!

[Bellanthin 112]

i had to jump throuh hoops to get approved i have a bmi of 39.5 started off at 217 w high blood pressure high cohlestral prediabetic family history of all the above plus sleep apnea diabeties father passed at age 55 atena denined me day before surgery i faught and faught appeal wrote a letter and i was approved keep trying through all this never give up insurance companys do taht so u will give up and they dont have to pay good luck

[becksnky 25]

I have had the same thoughts and many people tell me the same thing. My BMI is 38. I have considered WLS for a very long time, dieted since I was a teen and now I am 56 years old. I feel like all of my adult life has been controlled in one way or another by my weight. So many challenges. Trying to find the right clothes to hide my fat, fitting into seats, always feeling self conscious, and lets not even talk about dating and men. I now have developed joint problems which doesn't allow me do enjoy my grandchildren, diabetes and sleep apnea. What I am saying is, I don't know your age but weight issues WILL CATCH UP WITH you. Do something now while you have a chance. In my mind, that little voice saying "you're not that big, you can do it on your own, etc" is fear, denial or avoidance of the issue. At least is was for me. I am scheduled for surgery on August 15th. I wish I had had the chance to do this at a younger age.

[peachie86 63]

I borderlined between 35 and 40 BMI for years. I talked to my primary doctor on several different occasions that I wanted the WLS. She told me I did not qualify and for me not to gain back weigh I had recently lost to qualify. Finally, the beginning of this year she stated that Kaiser lower the BMI to 35 with medical conditions. I have had diabetes for over 13 years, then came the high cholesterol, GERD , fatty liver, arthritis and Asthma. My BMI is just below 35 now, because of the pre-op weight loss, which I am struggling to either maintain or lose more! The Nurse even said that I seemed too small and how did I qualify, then should look in my files and stated oh because of the Diabetes. However, I have been larger and struggle to keep those pounds off, but still have all the above medical conditions. My mother is severely overweight and she has many medical problems. She has lost a lot of weight, but the damage to her heart has been done. I do not want to continue following in her footsteps. My father had diabetes and died at age 50 of heart problems. I want to give myself a better quality of life.

[cindymg 629]

People keep saying to me that they never thought of me as "big." Is that a compliment? I always felt like the fattest person in the room. Even my surgeon commented that I would do very well BECAUSE as one of his smallest patients, I wasn't in that bad of shape yet.

I started dieting in high school, and after 40 years of dieting all I had to show for it was an added 80 lbs, oh and runamok diabetes, high blood press, and heart disease. My BMI was 39, but lucky (?) to have co- morbidities, so insurance approved right away.

Now, 40 lbs are gone and my life is completely different. No more diabetes, HBP, and chest pains. I can walk 3 miles without effort. I no longer crave foods, or even feel hunger. I have tons of energy. And my forgetfulness seems to be reduced. I thought it was just age-related. but maybe it was lack of good sleep because of my evening grazing tendencies.

Another 40 to go! Now if I could just figure out how I am going to replace my wardrobe!

[taylokat 180]

It amazes me how many healthcare workers will tell people "you don't look big enough for that surgery". When we started doing bariatric surgery at our facility, the bariatric surgeon gave all the nurses in the OR/Recovery Room an

informational session about bariatric surgery. The first rule he said is NEVER say that to a patient! He said that they did a lot of work to get to the day of surgery and patients find it very insulting. How true!!!

[Ellisa 6]

When I was banded in 2007 my BMI was over 40 and I heard the same arguments. But people are funny. They judge you for being overweight, but every weight loss plan I was on "wasn't healthy" in someone's opinion. LOL I was sleeved in 2010. My band had to be unfilled for several months due to reflux and removed due to a hiatal hernia. During that time I regained 20 lbs. and my BMI was over 30. Insurance would pay for the removal of the band, but not the sleeve because I didn't meet the BMI requirement. I have no regrets! I lost more than the 20 I regained and would still like to lose a bit more. Until this month I haven't really "dieted" but I want to get an additional 20 off. That's going to take effort, but not nearly what it did before being sleeved!

[reshiapooh96 31]

I have a BMI of 38. It was 44 on the day I was banded. Long story short, complications are the issues I'm facing and my Dr. said that the band has to go. He wants me to revise to sleeve. I was worrying about my skinny ankles at first b/c my co-worker always take jabs at me about em. I still have all the co-morbids as before including diabetes and still have 60 lbs to lose before reaching goal. These health issues run in my family as well and I have seen what my mom went through. So I would say yes to you and hope that others here will support me on this as well. We will just have to close our ears to the haters that say that we( aren't big enough and just do it on your own). They just don't understand.

[nancyell18 10]

I too have had many people tell me that I'm not that big. I am 250 lbs, 5'3" and have a BMI of 45. I carry my weight well. I think that I was the smallest person in my informational seminar. People don't realize that I've been fighting my weight all of my life. Diets, WW, Fen fen, hypnosis, ally, exercise classes. I started researching WLS about 10 years ago and had originally thought that I wanted the band. When I finally decided this year to do it, I changed my mind and decided to go with VSG. I have the complete support of all of the medical people that I have dealt with. I am presently waiting for insurance approval! I Hope to be done by end of August. I'm so excited !

[Cheer Mama 166]

I'm 5' and had a BMI of 40 but I also high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, and bone deterioration in my feet and ankles.

I had it done for many reasons. I wanted to sit in stadium seating and not get 'stuck'. I wanted to be able to walk between student desks and not knock everything off of their desks. I wanted to not hurt when I walked. I wanted cute clothes and shoes. I wanted to shop in the misses section of the store and not womans. But mainly because my mom's family either has diabetes or has died from it and I didn't want it.

I have dieted for years. The weight always came back. When my ankles and feet finally got really bad, I couldn't exercise without pain. I just kept getting heavier and heavier.

I got sleeved for all of the above reasons. It isn't an easy answer to weight loss, but it has made it easier for me.

[heatwhip 166]

My BMI was just under 40 when I had surgery and just about every pre op appt. I had that wasn't with my surgeon I was told by the nurses that I wasn't even "that big" and I "didn't need" the surgery. It made me so mad. I was also told this by many family and friends.

For me I have lost 50lbs a few times in my life. It lasted about 5 seconds and all the work that I did would be ruined within a few months. I had about 90-100lbs to lose (don't know where I want to be goal wise since I have never been that small).

This is our lives, we know what is best for us! I have lost 52lbs in just over 8 weeks and feel amazing! To heck with what anyone else thinks!