Lower BMI Gastric Sleeve Patients

[soccergirl09 52]

Hi everyone. I have struggled with being overweight my entire life. I'm considering getting the gastric sleeve on July 7th with Dr Elmo and Dr Rodriguez. I'm consider Obese 1 and my BMI is usually around 33-35. I don't really have other underlying health issues. I'm looking for people that were in the same boat to tell me of life after surgery. Thank you.

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[crazyplantlady 70]

I was the same! I started with a relatively low BMI.

I decided to have surgery after my weight was consistently over 200 lbs. I had been slowly gaining weight since adolescence, and figured the best time to have surgery would be now, since I didn't want to gain any more and I wanted to enjoy my 20s.

I don't have any comorbidities.

I did pay for my surgery since my insurance wasn't going to cover it.

I don't regret it at all! Life after surgery is great! I'm 4 months out and I feel much better overall, my clothes fit better, I don't feel like the "fat person" anymore.

Eating is difficult when I'm socializing but I just say that I don't eat that much to begin with and I'm watching what I eat.

Being a low BMI patient, you have less to lose to get to a healthy BMI, and the likelihood of loose skin is decreased. The likelihood of having complications is less!

One plus for me was that my weight loss, while dramatic, wasn't commented on by people I saw every day, and I felt like I could explain it by saying I was making changes to my diet and exercise routine. I chose not to tell anyone about my surgery.

[soccergirl09 52]

Hey there!!!! Thank you SO MUCH for your response. Did you have your surgery in the US? Would you mind sharing where you were on weight an BMI? Was it really hard to adjust to life afterwards? Do you ever have issues with over eating, getting sick or being hungry? I'm always freaking hungry. Any foods you gave up 100%? I was 193lbs this AM. I'm a size 10. On the top I'm always bigger bc my arms are so thick. Also, I'm always hot and sweaty. Looking forward to not feeling big.

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[crazyplantlady 70]

My highest weight is on my profile, 207.

That was after I had decided to get surgery and before pre-op diet, and I had kind of gone on a, I'm going to eat whatever I like and not worry about weight gain, rampage, and gained probably 8-10 lbs.

I lost that weight and then some on my pre-op diet.

I did have my surgery in the US, I'm from alabama and I had my surgery with dr schmitt in birmingham.

I did have issues with adjusting to the right portion sizes and learning what I could tolerate.

Before surgery, I don't think I had massive issues with overeating, or eating unhealthy foods. I probably ate more than I should have, but I have a very slow metabolism and thyroid issues, so the sleeve has helped me be satisfied with much smaller portions and control my cravings.

Before surgery I didn't really eat many processed foods, I cooked my own meals and didn't snack a lot, but I did have rice pretty much every day with my dinner, and some sort of carb for lunch.

After surgery, I barely eat carbs. I can hardly fit them in with all the Protein and Water requirements! I have tried to eat a little rice, and Protein Pasta but they didn't settle right with me. I'll probably try again closer to my goal weight.

I live by myself, and my family is states away, so for me the hardest part of life after surgery was feeling alone and without support. I told one friend who lives states away that I was having surgery, and my parents. No one else, not even my siblings, know I've had surgery.

Adjusting to the restriction was hard, but I quickly figured out that I could have yogurt for lunch, add protein to my coffee in the mornings, eat chicken for dinner, and beans/cheese/salsa as a snack.

I follow the same routine pretty much every day, and I'm really comfortable with it. I track all my food, I bought a kitchen scale (HIGHLY recommend, helped me with portions a LOT).

So I might have "given up" rice, and carby lunches on a daily basis, but if I am out socially then I don't feel too bad about indulging in a few fries or bread. I can still eat anything I want. I just don't feel the need to, and some things settle better than others. I no longer feel the need to finish the whole plate of fries (I physically can't), I'm good after having 2 or 3.

Not feeling hunger is great. I do get "head hungry" at times but usually it passes.

I no longer feel like the whale in the room. I might still be the biggest in the room at times, but I don't feel unhealthy, and I know that in time I'll be out of the overweight BMI category.

[soccergirl09 52]

Thank you so much for your reply again. I am brand new to this app so I can't or don't know how to access the profile! Haha. Do you regret this at all? Being of a lower BMI, do you think the weight loss and what it did to your mental state worth not eating? I'm like you. I feel like I over eat at times truly bc I'm still starving. Not mental hunger. I'm looking forward to my stomach not grumbling. I feel like if I don't have a grumbling stomach and headaches from hunger that I will actually have to remind myself to eat!

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[crazyplantlady 70]

I don't regret it!

My mental state is fine, just had to adjust to the new lifestyle. There was a period of depression that happens when your body is burning a ton of fat, and the hormones that are stored in that far are released, but that's a common thing and it passed.

If anything, my life revolves more around food than it did before! lol

it's an adjustment but I do not regret it.