BMI 32 / 60 lbs ...

[RedBone Creole 4]

Hi everyone: I am also in the lower bmi range for the surgery-- around BMI of 33. I haven't been on the scales in a little while but my surgery is planned for January 4th 2010.

I will be self pay with Christine Ren in NYC-- and I intend to make every penny worth it.

I'd estimate my weight at somewhere around 192 pounds, with a goal weight loss of around 55 to 60 pounds.

I haven't experienced anyone being mean to me on this board b/c I am at a 'lower' (ha ha) weight-- to me, being 5'4 and weighing in the 190's-- it is kind of laughable to say "low" with regard to weight. I don't mean to be cruel to those with much more weight to lose, but it really is all relative.

My weight class could be near to goal weight for a severely morbidly obese individual-- let's say someone who started out at 400 pounds. It would be delightful for that person to wind up under 200 pounds and a total boon to her health.

For me: I have been hovering in the normal/ overweight range for alot of my adult life-- but I keep gaining an average of 3 to 4 pounds per year. I can't afford to NOT stop this UP-slide anymore or I will wind up being even more heavy and need the surgery when I might be 'sicker.'

For now: I am considered by my surgeon to be a rather 'ideal' patient-- and the reason insurance won't pay is that insurance companies are arbitrary.

I know I am rambling, but it is wonderful to see some folks who are 'like me' in the low BMI range and going for the surgery. I plan to continue my blog through my journey-- though in my personal life, few people will know about this choice. I personally do not want to be a WLS poster girl, nor do I want to be subjected to everyone's opinions on the topic. It is a personal decision that I've come to after years of failed attempts to control my weight without a stronger 'tool' in place.

My experience hass been that it's not that anyone has been mean, just less responses and replies when your BMI is low...

:thumbup:

[imwiththebandnyc 0]

^^^

Glad you're not experiencing any meanies!

Hope your experience with the band is going well...

[Erika27 0]

Hi everyone,

Now that we're talking about meanies....I had particular experience before my surgery. My husband was totally against me going through surgery, and to say the least he was mean about it. Some of them agreed, some didn't, but he was the one who brought it up, even though I had planned on keeping it to myself atleast until well after surgery. But anyway, at one point, he was a little buzzed and as some family members and I discussed how the LAP-Band worked, and the results that you can get if you do your part, he mentioned that my end result would be lots of skin. SO yeah, that was a bummer. I obviously asked him to support me. I also asked him for his opinion, and he simply said it made no sense, because I had already made my mind up. So that was pre-op, but he was definitely there for me during surgery and post-op. My pre-op days were an emotional roller-coaster, I can honestly say.

I understood my husband's concern in that any surgical procedure involves risk and what not. His bit deal was that since I am a nutritionist myself, and had been loosing weight after breastfeeding, he thought I could do it on my own. And maybe this is true, but after a life of battling with being overweight, and struggling with diets here and there, I guess I just needed a tool that could help me FOR ONCE in my life, reach my goal weight. He has an incredibly fast metabolism, so he can eat just about anything and gain little to no weight! So, obviously he will never understand what it's like to have weight problems. Yeah, so I had my share of meanies....AT HOME!!! but it still doesn't justify his nasty attitude.

This web page has helped me stay on track. It's been a little more than a month since surgery, and I feel great. I haven't lost a whole lot of weight (16 lbs), but that's expected, especially considering the weight I lost before surgery, and the fact that I have a thyroid problem. Either way, I'm very happy about my decision, and I would recommend it for any low BMI. Let's also remmember that my line of work in a way demands a certain image, although it shouldn't be that way. My patients look up to me as a role-model, and I wasn't a role model before.

Thanks for hearing me out.

Erika

[Erika27 0]

How do you get your fills, are you referred to a dr in us?

Sorry, it took me a while to answer that. Well for now I'm getting my fills in Mexico, because I'm still here. I come back to Mexico quite often. But my surgeons have mentioned that if I ever I need a fill and can't make it to Mexico, they can reffer me to a couple doctors.

Good luck!

[RedBone Creole 4]

Sorry, it took me a while to answer that. Well for now I'm getting my fills in Mexico, because I'm still here. I come back to Mexico quite often. But my surgeons have mentioned that if I ever I need a fill and can't make it to Mexico, they can reffer me to a couple doctors.

Good luck!

I can realte.

I get so burned up when people tell me I don't need it...

I have been on every diet since jr. high school.

I lost, I gained. I love food & can't stop eatting. I needed something to mk me feel full before I over do it.

I eat cause I don't want to throw it away...

I eat cause I'm board or want to try something new.

I don't expect to lose too fast either but I a sure am gonna keep the torch lit.

I didn't pay 6K for nothing...

Which Dr did you see in MX?

[imwiththebandnyc 0]

I agree that it is so infuriating that people who know you will tell you that you should just try to do this 'on your own' and 'what difference will it make?'

Argh.

The vast majority of people I've been reading about and tracking via blogs definitely and consistently lose weight. My real worry is maintainance over time... not a whole lot of long term info that I'm finding about that. But it will be a hell of a lot better to lose the weight and be thinner for a few years and then have to re-engage fills and everything with the band, if I slip-- than to never take the weight off at all. It is a risk benefit analysis.

Basically: I'm trying to say that I've got a life-long problem and don't think that losing weight this time will be enough-- but it will certainly be a good running start at long lasting and successful change. Screw the haters!!

[Katlynn 0]

It's nice to read that I have a lot in common with most of you!

My BMI on the day of my surgery was 33 -- that's 197 lbs and 5'4. Yes, I have weighed more than that, and yes I have weighed less than that before....but for many years now I have been stuck in the 190's.

I also have PCOS so losing weight was hard and basically required starvation as well as working out 5 days a week with a personal trainer. I've done that before and got down to 125. Looked great, but had zero energy. Of course all the pounds lost came back quickly once I started eating again.

I've read a lot of people with lower BMI's will say that people have told them "you're not that big" or "you don't need WLS". My experience has been different. People (parents, friends and in-laws) have all had a talk with me about my weight. My husband has been the only person who has never ever said anything negative to me about my weight. Truthfully, while I know I needed to lose weight, and I want to lose weight -- when people would have an issue with my weight or want to discuss it with me, I would think to myself, "geez, I'm not that big that you need to have some sort of 'intervention' here".

My heaviest weight ever was 243, when I was pregnant with my daughter in 2008. So here I am, I've lost 50 lbs in the year since having my daughter. Saw my MIL last Friday...she didn't even notice I was 50 lbs lighter. Nope, not one word. It seems some people only like to comment when it's a negative comment.

I was banded on Sept. 30th and my doctor told me that I would lose less each week/month than someone with a higher BMI. He said for me not to get upset at a lower number lost, it's more about percentages. Since banding (with no fill yet) I've lost 5 pounds in less than 2 weeks.

A big hello to everyone and I hope this lower BMI section gets more active!

[Erika27 0]

I can realte.

I get so burned up when people tell me I don't need it...

I have been on every diet since jr. high school.

I lost, I gained. I love food & can't stop eatting. I needed something to mk me feel full before I over do it.

I eat cause I don't want to throw it away...

I eat cause I'm board or want to try something new.

I don't expect to lose too fast either but I a sure am gonna keep the torch lit.

I didn't pay 6K for nothing...

Which Dr did you see in MX?

Hi,

Well, seems like we've been through similar situations. A life of failed dieting can do a lot of damage to willpower. So keep your head up...we're in this, so let's make it work. I researched a medical group called OCCIMEDGROUP, they do surgery in Guadalajara as well as in TJ. I have family in Guadalajara, so I decided to go for surgery here. Dr. Eduardo Jaramillo was the one who performed the surgery. Dr. Nelson Rodriguez had a conference in France, so he couldn't make it, but everything went great. They are very professional, and it just felt right.

Take care.

[RedBone Creole 4]

Erika,

Which band did you get & how many cc does it hold?

I have the Inamed, & was told it is 10cm but I'm not sure how much it holds in cc's.

How was your restriction after your 1st fill?

[jbgvscamg 0]

Hello Katlynn and everyone:

It is nice to see the low bmi group picking up!

Kat: I'm sorry about your MIL and you know her best, but is it possible she didn't want to hurt your feelings when she mentioned your weight?

Just a thought... people are weird.

I've had some really weird comments in my day that run from the awesomely sensitive:

"You look so great lately" (very kind words) to the ridiculously insensitive:

"Wow, you lost alot of weight, you look SO MUCH Better!!"

Ugh.

Ha ha

Meantime: I cannot wait for my band-- but it is a long wait until January.

[renebeau 0]

Hi all,

I'm a "low BMI" candidate, also. I'm 5'5" at 200 lbs. This is the heaviest I have ever been, and I feel at times disgusted with myself. Isn't that a good enough reason to want to be banded? I am diabetic (juvenile) and am constantly hungry. I eat large amounts of food, fast. I am hoping I can let go of the feeling "will there be enough food for me" and thinking about food all the time.

My husband is not in favor of the band. He's always been thin. Just because I don't express my feelings about my weight to him, he assumes I am not struggling.

I will have to self pay, since a BMI of 33 doesn't qualify me for insurance purposes.

I agree with everyone who says that they need help keeping the weight off. Anyone can diet in the short term. Long term success is much more elusive.

[Erika27 0]

Erika,

Which band did you get & how many cc does it hold?

I have the Inamed, & was told it is 10cm but I'm not sure how much it holds in cc's.

How was your restriction after your 1st fill?

Hey!

I have the 10 cm. Inamed band, i guess it's the standard size, or the one that's used the most. I was doing some research about how many cc's it holds, cuz honestly I hadn't looked into that, and looks like it holds 4 cc's. I got a 3.2 cc fill....it's not wonder my doctor was a little surprised. After the fill my restriction has been great. I've been on a liquid diet ever since my fill last wednesday, and I haven't been hungry, which is great because I had been pretty hungry up until then. I'll have to do some added research as to how much it holds, but I'm pretty sure that's what it is.

Well...guess that's it!

[RedBone Creole 4]

Hey!

I have the 10 cm. Inamed band, i guess it's the standard size, or the one that's used the most. I was doing some research about how many cc's it holds, cuz honestly I hadn't looked into that, and looks like it holds 4 cc's. I got a 3.2 cc fill....it's not wonder my doctor was a little surprised. After the fill my restriction has been great. I've been on a liquid diet ever since my fill last wednesday, and I haven't been hungry, which is great because I had been pretty hungry up until then. I'll have to do some added research as to how much it holds, but I'm pretty sure that's what it is.

Well...guess that's it!

That's what I read too but I wasn't sure if 4cc's was correct... I guess it must be.

Sweet, I was hoping for a small band so that I didn't need too many fills...

I guess I will try 3.2 cc's.

Thx!