4'11", 200lbs - am I a good candidate?

[KaiserKid 81]

Hi all -

I'm a 28 y/o F. I've been obese my whole life and over the past 5-7 years I've hovered around 200lbs. My BMI is just about 40 and I have no comorbidities. My GW is 130.

I have my first appointment in the end of August - 6 weeks of waiting! And I made the appt in June! I've done a LOT of research and thinking and I think I want to pursue WLS. I think it's the only way I can really get the weight off. I checked my insurance and on paper I'd qualify.

However, because my BMI is (only) 40, I'm otherwise perfectly healthy and believe it or not I DO exercise 3x/week and eat well, even cut out soda and alcohol over a year ago and haven't lost an ounce for it. I'm SO afraid they'll say I'm not a good candidate because "I'm not fat or sick enough" or "I don't have THAT much to lose". That they'll just tell me I need to be more diligent about exercise or whatever my PCP has already been telling me for years. I'm putting a lot of stake into this appointment and I just don't want to get my hopes up if I'm just going to be denied. I desperately need some help (which is hard for me to admit), and I'm so scared I won't get it.

Anyone else have a similar experience?

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[judy vsg 126]

My bmi was just at 40, and i had no other health issues. I chose to get sleeved as a preventative measure, because there is, obesity related illnesses all over my family. My surgery was july 11, still recovering. So... I don't think you have to be "too fat" for this

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[mistycal 81]

I was also at 41 bmi I think and no other comorbidities. My surgeon just said I was a perfect candidate for the gastric sleeve. I'm now 4 months out and down 68 lbs!

[HopeandAgony 566]

I was a bmi of 40 with no other comorbidities. I am 8 months post op sleeve and down 80 lbs, 90 from my highest weight.

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[nurse1sherry 8]

I was also at 41 bmi I think and no other comorbidities. My surgeon just said I was a perfect candidate for the gastric sleeve. I'm now 4 months out and down 68 lbs!

Super! Keep up the great work!

[clasheljac2 9]

Yes, you should do it, it could save your life!

[PatientEleventyBillion 851]

[starfishwish 129]

I'm 4'10" and BMI 38. Paired with several comorbidities/health problems, My surgeon said I am an excellent candidate.

[Deactivatedfatgal 377]

I am 4"11 but bmi was 49 , six weeks out my bmi is almost 40. I was self pay also!

[connnie 23]

I am 5 foot. BMI was 41 but I also have sleep apnea and high blood pressure. You should definitely do it. I am one week out and have lost 11 lbs. feel so much better than before surgery already .

[Amandy31 17]

Yes you are that was my surgery day measurements.

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[enngeecee 1]

I am 174 cm (5"8.5) and I weigh 105kg (which is about 230lb). My BMI is 34 and I am having a sleeve on the 26th of June.

I have MS which makes me suffer from balance problems due to vertigo as well as extreme fatigue. I also can't control my body temperature and overheat (even in the dead of winter) so I find exercise difficult.

I also suffer from nausea so eating regularly is problematic - I avoid it if I can which means when I do feel well, I binge eat and then my body hoards what energy it gets.

So for me, my specialists are hoping the sleeve will be a kind of re-set for my system, a pre-emptory strategy and that we will be able to help retrain me to eat in ways and with types and amounts of food that don't trigger my nausea, allow me not to be malnourished, put less pressure on my joints and lose weight to get back to around the weight I was before I got sick. This will hopefully increase my quality of life while I am able to be mobile and active and I would give anything for that.

So I think each individual should be assessed on their individual need, rather than just whether or not 'am I big enough?' Or not.

I don't understand the insurance company thing. But I feel like that might be because I live in Australia, and we can choose our private insurance companies with whatever 'extras' cover we want them to have. Bariatric surgery is covered by my policy. There is only a $5,000 expense to me because of that because I chose to go private and get it done quickly.

But Also, our public health system would cover patients who needed this surgery if it was impacting their health severely, so there might be a six month wait or so, but there would be no out of pocket expense.

I feel bad that someone feels they have to ask a question regarding their long term health when they have struggled such a long time with it because an insurance company won't cover the expense. Holding people's health to ransom is awful.

[KaiserKid 81]

@enngeecee Yeah that's the joy of living in the US. You're only as sick as you can afford to be! Fortunately I have good insurance that I pay out the nose for, so I better have qualified!

[jmar23 32]

You should be a candidate. I had a BMI of 40 and was sleeved in Feb.

[Callisto 79]

I'm 4'11, 185 pounds BMI 37. I might not have a very high BMI but my co-morbidities tell the story of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease...I am sure I am forgetting something. I should have never waited so long to do this, honestly. If I was 300 pounds, I would be a dead woman, I am sure of it. I am a walking stroke. You are young, do this while you can.

FED BCBS approved.