Really want to do this...has worked for friends, and I had a small stroke at 40 and am scared but struggling more than ever with weight. Cholesterol off the charts. BUT weight is steadily 190-ish....so don't meet literal criteria of being 200 pounds. Is there a way I can do this even though I don't meet the 200 lb criteria? Did someone else go in at less than 200?

This is the first time I have heard about a 200 lb criteria.

Usually you qualify by having a BMI of 40 or more with no other health conditions or a BMI of 35 with 2 co-morbidities.

Are you talking about the criteria to have insurance cover you or just have the surgery (self pay)?

That is the criteria I have heard the most for both ins. and self-pay.

It depends on your Body Mass Index which is a calculation based on height and weight, not just your weight. Do can do a search for BMI Calculator to find it.

Insurance requirments vary. When I had my surgery it was BMI 40 and over with no co-morbidities or BMI 35-39 with 2 co-morbidites. Now it is 35-39 with 1.

If you want insurance to pay for it, you need to find out what their requirments are. If self-pay, it will be up to your surgeon to determine if you medically qualify for the band.

Allergan, one band maufacturer, is studying the use of the band on BMIs as low as 30.