I am just now looking into lap band surgery. I am 40, have been overweight since around 25. I currently weight 225 and my BMI is 36. I have high blood pressure and the beginning signs of diabetes. I have tried various weight loss diets the most successful being Weight Watchers, but then I only lost 40 pounds. I guess my question is...am I obese enough to consider lap band? I know they say BMI of 40, or 35 with health issues. I barely qualify for that.

Hi Sammy,

Only you can truly answer that question.

I was around your BMI when I began my Quest for surgery. I knew for me that with time, my weight would continue to rise.

It was completely worth it to me. I am no longer on the road to diabetes. I no longer have high blood pressure. I no longer have high cholesterol.

I suggest you do a pros and cons list and think it over. This is serious surgery, and not to be taken lightly. It is also life saving, and life changing.

I don't regret my decision, except maybe when I have something stuck and am hanging my head over the sink in pain and sliming...but that is rare these days.

This is a great place for information. Ask questions and learn!

Best wishes.

I agree with the prior post. Nothing I can say should take place of your insight and decisions. I would look at it this way. You have high blood pressure and pre-diabetes. You have been yo-yo dieting. If you do not go forward with the lap band would you be successful at losing the weight and keeping it off? If the answer is no you can not keep the weight off I would take that as a strong proponent for lap band. Diabetes is a terrible disease that can easily spiral out of control and take 10-15 years off your life if you let it. However, with a healthy weight you can keep it at bay and reclaim your life. In your situation I would look at the lap band as preventative medicine. Hope this helps you. Good luck on your journey, where ever it takes you.

Well - I am 46 years old - started at 229 lbs. with a BMI of 35.9. I tried so hard to handle my pre-diabetes with diet but unfortunately passed into the Type 2 stage.

I had my surgery on 1/31/10 and have already lost 25 lbs. and guess what? I have had 3 straight weeks of NORMAL blood sugar readings.

I believe this surgery is giving me my life back. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

I am 5'6 and started at 230 pounds with a BMI of 37. If you look at my pre-banding posts on my blog (at the beginning), you'll see that I questioned my decision as well. I felt like I should be able to lose the weight on my own, even though I knew that wasn't a realistic expectation given all of the efforts I'd made in the past. I am so glad that I got banded. It's let me change the one thing in my life that I really felt bad about for so long, my inability to control my weight.

As for whether your BMI is high enough, it may not be high enough to qualify you for insurance coverage if you don't have co-morbidities (sleep apnea, etc.). But, that does not mean you can't do private pay. That is what I did -- through Dr. Roberto Rumbaut in Monterrey, MX. I had a great experience and am very glad that I did this.

I hope that helps!

Catherine

Everyone,

Thanks so much for the feedback. I have decided to go ahead and at least attend one of the seminars offered by our local bariatric surgeon. I just feel like I need to gather some more info before I make my decision. Your input has helped me to decide to move forward.

Thanks again.

Everyone,

Thanks so much for the feedback. I have decided to go ahead and at least attend one of the seminars offered by our local bariatric surgeon. I just feel like I need to gather some more info before I make my decision. Your input has helped me to decide to move forward.

Thanks again.

You're doing the right thing. Take your time and do all of the soul-searching and research you need until you are positive one way or the other. You are young and the lapband isn't going anywhere.

You've got 4 posts here showing the positive side of surgery. Look around and read the negatives as well.

I wish you luck in whichever decision you make.