I hope this does not offend anyone, but I have struggled with my weight all of my life just like those with higher BMI's. At my highest weight I weighed 200lbs. I have now struggled my way down to 185... it is a DAILY battle plagued with exercise and deprivation of those foods I love! I am scheduled to be banded on Feb. 3rd and although I am absolutely thrilled to finally have some help with my daily battle... I am curious as to whether or not anyone else is in a similar situation. Or if there is anyone with a low BMI that has been banded and has been successful. I know for many of you... I should just be happy to be 185 lbs. but I have obesity on both sides of my family in a very BIG way and this is just TOO MUCH of an issue to just ignore it! Good luck to all as we battle this demon!

hello, my BMI was 40 I weighted in at 212 day of surgery and know what your saying I would go into the office and people would say why would I want to be banded, I don't weight that much. well its more then just that my body isn't even made for 200lbs, my knees hurt along with difficulty breathing so all the problem u have I have. I would say and at 46 I'm not looking to be a model, just feel good and have less pain. I think its wonderful u got yourself down to185 how with the bands help you can help yourself get healthier. best of luck

I had a BMI of 36 on the day of surgery and I've lost well and I think pretty fast - 12kg or so in less than 2 months. I've lost faster than many people I know who weighed far more than I did.

I feel getting banded before my BMI got lots higher had several major advantages to me. Number one, I was still reasonably fit and limber, so no building up from walking a mile kind of thing - I already exercised before my surgery and can handle the major type of exercise needed to really rip weight off you, I do a LOT of very hard exercise.

Number 2, my eating habits had not really slipped that far. I wasnt focussing on them and had kind of lost my way but I havent found making the changes I needed to to get weight coming off steadily in the least bit difficult - and I have no real restriction yet either.

And thirdly my surgery was quick, easy and uncomplicated, in fact my surgeon was pleased because it was over in 40 minutes and he had a bit of time up his sleeve as he had a very full list that day. I recovered very quickly and I also didnt have to do that awful Optifast diet.

I think I caught myself before I really descended into obesity. This operation was in large part a preventative for me. It was also about vanity - at 38 I still want to look young, good, fashionable. I was tired of wasting money on getting my nails done or buying tons of clothes when what would make the most difference was losing a lot of weight.

My baby sis had a BMI of 32 when she decided enough was enough. She decided against the band even though she could only eat one small meal a day to maintain her weight at 175. She did Atkins, actually ate more food and healed her metabolism, and lost 50 lbs and now wears a size 6. I don't have the willpower for Atkin's and I haven't seen 175 since my freshman year of HS. It's all about willpower wether you do it with the band or w/o; the band just helps give you a little more willpower when you are struggling.

I have a lower BMI and am waiting for a surgery date. I was cleared for this surgery this past fall and was at 200 (5'6) and now I'm at 230, so that just goes to show you that obesity, like alcholism, is a progressive disease.

If I could do it by following a diet, I would not be in this desperate place. Because let's be honest...being 200 -230 and contemplating getting surgery to place a silicone band around your stomach and a port in your abs, you have to have hit the wall and have no where else to turn.:paranoid

I have been thin twice in my life and each time was short lived. To get there and stay there I had to starve myself and take herbal or prescription appetite suppresants. Eventually hunger always won and I eventually lost the battle and regained my weight.

One of those times I did the Atkins. I actually was on it for 2 years. For me personally, it was a disaster, it ruined my digestive system. I developed diveriticulitis from all the meat eaten (not to mention how guilty I felt eating all that animal meat!) and I have since gone vegetarian. Not able to sustain long term low carb eating, as soon as I began eating some carbs, my body seemed to go haywire and I ballooned faster than I have ever seen my body do before.

MY body can't seem to tolerate being 200-230. My knees hurt, I ache, I'm dizzy, I feel sick, I have GERD, heart palpitations, out of breath, sleep apnea. All the symptoms of those who are much higher. So, I'm guessing every body is different in what it can handle.

I wish the lower BMI people all the best and I think we should have our own thread or something. :-)

I had a BMI 37 weight 231 Ib. 167cm or 5ft 6"

Banded 2 June 05

Lost 37Ib in 35 weeks

I had a bmi of 40. I weighed 241 when I had my surgery on 8/29/05. When I first talked to the bariatric patient liason, she told me that I was not heavy enough for surgery. When I had my stress test, the cardiologist said that I was not big enough to have this surgery. When I had the upper GI, the x-ray technician told me that I shouldn't get the surgery. When the nurse got me up to walk the first time after my surgery, he put a binder around me and it fell off. He said that I was their smallest bariatric patient. My 34 year old son was totally against my having surgery. Most people didn't think I was that heavy--but at 241 pounds, I wasn't heavy, I was obese. It has been 5 months and I have lost 57 pounds. I now weigh 184 pounds. My son says that I act younger. Now people are starting to tell me that I shouldn't lose any more weight. I am glad that I didn't listen to everyone. I am still losing and loving it. It is such fun to shop for clothes now. So far, the band is working for me. The trip to BandLand is a decision that you have to make for yourself.

I just think that they have it ALL wrong. Its not about the physicality of it and where you're body's at with the weight it's carrying, its ALL about the mental struggle of diet and exercise. If you cant keep it up, you WILL get heavier and your health will suffer in the future.