Reaction to being "severly obese"

[kat_in_GA 0]

Today was my first appt with my surgeon. I know I'm very overweight (or why would I be in the surgeon's office right?), but almost fell out of my chair when I saw my BMI on the sever obesity scale!! :ohmy:WOW...what a wakeup for me. Did anyone else have this reaction?

I've lost 5 lbs so far on the preop SugarBusters diet and still have a long way to go before I'm just very overweight and not severly obese.:smile: I WILL MAKE IT!

Thanks,

Kat

[minpinmom 2]

When my Dr. said, yes, you will qualify for Lapband, you are morbidly obese. "Morbidly" Wow. . . . shaking head in disbelief . . . I still have a hard time taking that in. I mean, I knew I was fat . . . saying obese was tough enough - but on no - had to say Morbidly.

[kat_in_GA 0]

I can still see the BMI chart and the words when I close my eyes!!

To make it worse, my husband was there to see this too. ARGGGG.

I gently encouraged him to get on the scale so we could chart his BMI, but he wouldn't do it!

[Tammru 0]

Is it possible to be declined cause your BMI is too high? I'm just beginning my research for getting banded and have a BMI about 55. Yikes..! :smile:

[Sunshine08 0]

OMG! I know EXACTLY how you feel. HUGE HUGE HUGE wakeup call to hear severely obese. EEK. But we are on our ways to gaining control, just think of that.

[IndioGirl55 32]

I WAS morbidly obese - now just obese - 1 point away from being over weight... Gotta love the person who invented the band :smile:

[Tammru 0]

No, I mean, can you get declined for having a BMI over 50? I'm REALLY new...just starting my research on the topic. I haven't even talked to my PCP about this yet but I will in a couple weeks when I see her next. I'm trying to figure out if I'll get declined based on my BMI too high. Thanks, this is a really wonderful resource and I'm learning so much from you guys!

[IndioGirl55 32]

No, I mean, can you get declined for having a BMI over 50? I'm REALLY new...just starting my research on the topic. I haven't even talked to my PCP about this yet but I will in a couple weeks when I see her next. I'm trying to figure out if I'll get declined based on my BMI too high. Thanks, this is a really wonderful resource and I'm learning so much from you guys!

I think it will depend on your insurance - some insurance won't do band if your bmi is like 50 - they want to do bypass - But I know people who's bmi was over 50 and have been banded..

Good Luck

[Tammru 0]

Ok, good to know. Thanks! I hope I can count myself among the prievleged to get this surgery. I just turned 35, Type II diabetic for about 5 years, high cholesterol, on meds for blood pressure, blood sugar (uncontrolled). This sucks! I want to feel like the young 35 year old that I really am! I can lose weight, just can't keep it off and have tried for years. Getting banded sounds like a really life-saving decision for me. I will definitely be visiting this site for encouragement and information. :smile:

[mindyemt08 0]

You absolutely 'CAN' be too overweight for lap-band AND gastric by-pass. I am not sure what the BMI is, but you can be too large. I believe the risk goes up significantly if your BMI is over a certain point. I just saw on the TV show Intervention this week, a guy was 546 lbs., was addicted to food and no one would do surgery for him. FYI

[jbrad71629 2]

Today was my first appt with my surgeon. I know I'm very overweight (or why would I be in the surgeon's office right?), but almost fell out of my chair when I saw my BMI on the sever obesity scale!! :ohmy:WOW...what a wakeup for me. Did anyone else have this reaction?

I've lost 5 lbs so far on the preop SugarBusters diet and still have a long way to go before I'm just very overweight and not severly obese.:smile: I WILL MAKE IT!

Thanks,

Kat

Kat

I was banded in November and lost wonderfully on The Sugar Busters diet preop, now I am pretty much sticking with it post op to keep moving the scale don. But as for your question, I cried the minute I was out of my surgeons office when i saw Morbidly obese on the papework. Keep up the positive attitude and you will make it! Take care!

[IndioGirl55 32]

Ok, good to know. Thanks! I hope I can count myself among the prievleged to get this surgery. I just turned 35, Type II diabetic for about 5 years, high cholesterol, on meds for blood pressure, blood sugar (uncontrolled). This sucks! I want to feel like the young 35 year old that I really am! I can lose weight, just can't keep it off and have tried for years. Getting banded sounds like a really life-saving decision for me. I will definitely be visiting this site for encouragement and information. :smile:

Tammru

I wish you luck - I love my band - it's the greatest tool imho - You are young and you should have your life in front of you and enjoy it - which I know you really can't being over weight - The band is a great tool to help in your Portion Control - but that's all it is - you gotta do alot of mental working in changing your eating habits - this isn't a diet - cuz on a diet you do it until you get to the weight you want - then you go back to eating "normal" well eating normal is what got you fat in the first place - this truly is a lifetime lifestyle change - I eat healthy 98% of the time and about once a month allow myself a treat - I also go to the gym between 4-5 days a week and walk 3 miles on the treadmill... I started slow and worked myself up to a 16.5 mile

Good Luck on your journey..

[Tammru 0]

Thank you Indigo. You are an inspiration to me! I have been following lap band procedure info for a few years, and just yesterday saw the news on the study about Lap Band being a possible cure for Diabetes, and that was the straw on the camel's back for me. I'm not looking for a quick fix, like Bypass surgery would be (seemingly). I need a tool to help me curb my appetite and the included support, monitoring and continual feedback to help me re-map my brain, chemistry and body. It's a blessing to review info on this website (and others) to help me make an informed decision. Especially since this is still "new" on the medical horizon. It's scary, but it seems like a very smart decision for me and one I will fully explore with my PCP. Thanks to all for your responses and support!!!! -Tammy :smile:

[Chrisann 0]

I was stunned when I saw my BMI and weight. My scale at home was showing freaky numbers, so I never knew if it was accurate. But when I started on the lap band journey and saw those two figures, I went pale.

[AlysonRR 0]

Is it possible to be declined cause your BMI is too high? I'm just beginning my research for getting banded and have a BMI about 55. Yikes..! :frown:

I'm not sure about insurance companies, but an over-50 BMI person on another board said her doctor wouldn't do lap band for people with BMI over 60. My BMI was over 60 and my doctor didn't have any problems scheduling my surgery.

I think the thinking behind not doing lap-band for high BMI patients is that the average patient that loses 50-65% of their excess weight would still be obese if they start out at a high BMI. I've seen quite a few people here with BMIs over 50 (I look for those over 60, and have seen them, too) and many have achieved a normal or "overweight" weight goal. I'm hoping I'll do better than average, too.