BMI of 55+ let's talk...

[TnT 0]

What should someone with a high BMI (55, 60, 65) expect? Will surgery or recovery be tougher? How long of a recovery time before going back to work? How long for wounds to heal? From what I see, it appears that those with a higher BMI are losing weight at a more rapid pace and/or shedding more pounds total....is that correct?

Thanks for your answers! )

[Tiffykins 672]

I was only about 25lbs away from having a BMI of 55.

I started the VSG journey as a revision patient at BMI 49. I did lose fast, and didn't ever have a stall. I attribute the no stall thing to pushing fluids, and low carbs. It's what worked for me. I didn't go one single week without losing something, it might have only been 2lbs, but the next week, I'd drop 7lbs.

With more to lose, statistically, we lose faster. I dropped 142lbs in less than 11 months with VSG alone. I was set to lose 115lb to goal in a year, but I hit goal at 6.5 months post op and continued to lose for the next 3-4 months.

[BeenThereWasThat 2]

OK so I am set to be sleeved on Tuesday but I am going in with a BMI at about 60. My WLC says that the recovery time is much quicker with the sleeve vs. RNY but takes more time than lap band. They are requesting that I take 4 weeks off from work. Many people on the boards only take a week or less off from work.

Yes people with higher weight will typically lose more quickly and will lose more because they have more overall weight to lose. Most people will have the most success if they follow the diet and get in some exercise.

[Donna4545 13]

My BMI was 51, and I get sleeved on Wed. No one mentioned me losing faster than low BMI people, but I didn't ask. Then again, I didn't care, lol--weight loss is weight loss!

[PlannerGirl 3]

TnT,

I also had a BMI of 55+. I am currently in my third week of the 3-4 month pre surgery approval. My thought is to try to be as healthy as possible before the surgery to minimize as many issues and possible complications. With that in mind I'm excercising at least 4 times a week and trying to eat as well as I can.

I think the higher weight loss for higher BMI patients is just a function of bigger numbers to start with. If you look at percent to total lost you'll see the numbers tend to be very similar.

Like you, I have a long road ahead. Isn't it great we have a place to meet others who share the journey.

Good luck to you!

Edited July 15, 2010 by PlannerGirl

[eriadne 6]

I hit BMI of 54 during my insurance hoop-jumping phase which is what led my surgeon to dissuade me from the band. At the time my only alternative was RNY, so I was planning on toughing it out with a band -- luckily VSG was added as an approved surgery by my insurance a few weeks later, so I did not hesitate to switch.

High BMI patients (60+) often undergo a 2-stage procedure, having a sleeve gastrectomy first and then having a duodenal switch or formal gastric bypass after losing weight (80-100 lbs and/or 6-8 months later) to make the operations safer. Of course, there are always people who do well enough with just the first-stage procedure that they never need the second intestinal rerouting surgery!

I felt really confident getting the VSG because I knew there'd still be option if for some reason I couldn't get close to goal. Granted, my insurance currently doesn't cover revision surgery for VSG, but options are options.

I couldn't do RNY because I just was not at all comfortable with the rerouting and the malabsorptive effects, plus it was a bit risky for me (I have tons of issues with my blood so neither my surgeon nor I was very comfortable with RNY as an option.) Everyone is different of course, but for me VSG was just the perfect solution.

[PlannerGirl 3]

WOWZA Lotus....have you lost all that weight in the first month?

That's very encouraging!

[eriadne 6]

No, I managed to squeak under 300 just in time for surgery day. It took forever. When I hit the table I was about 298 (and no one was more surprised than me, I had been yoyo-ing around between 305 and 310 for months.)

So my VSG weight loss is about 23 lbs. It has slowed down for a couple of reasons, but still there's nothing like knowing those pounds are gone forever for a change!

[PlannerGirl 3]

Congratulations! 23 pounds in a month is very impressive. Have you started excercising yet, or is it still too early? If that loss is without excercise, it will be interesting to see the pace when you do add it in.

Thanks for sharing.

Edited July 17, 2010 by PlannerGirl

[eriadne 6]

I've been exercising intermittently. I've been swimming whenever the weather is good for the past week and a half, walking on the treadmill whenever I felt up to it since I came home from surgery, even tried jogging a bit now that my incisions no longer hurt.

Nothing structured or scheduled, I'm sad to admit, but I've got a weird body that likes to act up on me and keep me from exercising whenever I start to get into a routine. One of the reasons I decided to have surgery is that I tried for over 2 years to make the diet and exercise thing my "full-time job" but with my screwy health, it was impossible. At least now my stomach is no longer working against me. :thumbup1:

I am not giving up on exercise though, I just have to accept my limitations and exercise as much as I can when my body cooperates. The good news is that it is getting easier as the weight comes off, and maybe some of my Migraines, autoimmune issues and crazy fatigue will improve or go away as well!

[Catbert6 0]

I started out with a BMI of 56 (363 lb - 165 kg).

I was put on a six week Meal Replacement diet prior to surgery, as I had previously had an unsuccessful attempt at bariatric surgery because of an oversized liver.

I am now seven weeks post surgery. I have lost a total of 61lb - 36 in the six weeks prior to surgery and 25 since.

I had two weeks off of work post surgery (my quack recommends this for all patients) and could probably have gone back after one week. I have had five days spread over the next five weeks largely because of a break out of an auto-immune disease (ankylosing spondylitis) - I had to suspend my treatment to have surgery, which would not be an issue for most people.

Wounds healed pretty quick - only the larger incision (still less than an inch) gave me any grief. I experienced very little post operative pain. I was up and about on the afternoon of surgery and have been pretty unrestricted in what I can eat (except for quantity, of course) from about three weeks onward.

I am pushing 50 years of age and am very inactive - I have seen some lighter people loose weight more quickly than me. However, I will probably loose more than them in the long run, because I have more to loose!

In terms of operative recovery, I think it is very hard to generalise. I have a high tolerance to anaesthesia (it does not bother me at all while others feel very ill) and I have always been a fast healer. Everything went well in my surgery - there is always a risk of complication, and I had none. As far as the weight loss goes, I think factors like gender, age, activity level and strictness of diet all contribute, along with original size. I imagine a young, very big, active man who really watched what he ate would drop weight very quickly!

One thing I can tell you - seven weeks post surgery and I am lighter than I have been in many years - I can already feel a huge difference. I cannot image what it will be like to loose another 60 lbs. I think the bigger you are, the more you have to gain.