I keep reading conflicting info about if the sleeve is appropriate for people with high BMIs? I am not sure of my weight, but I know I'm probably in the upper 50s on my BMI, if not even low 60s. I've got a lot of weight to lose and I'm wondering if this is the way for me to do it? I'm turned off to the lap band because I don't want something foreign in my body and I don't want to do fills. I don't want bypass because I'm worried about the malabsorption issues for the rest of my life. The sleeve sounds like the best option for me, but I'm wondering if I'm setting myself up to fail with it? Any High BMI'ers out there who were successful without getting a bypass or switch afterward?

I have a high BMI (62) and this was one of my main concerns too having around 200lbs to loose. I'm still pre op, but I have seen people with BMI's like ours do really well. There are a few on here, also check on OH there is a special board for people with a BMI over 50 that is helpful. It can be done from what I'm seeing. I still have fears, and get apprehensive I won't reach goal, that I will never be a normal weight, but I think the surgery is what you make of it. I don't think there is a weight loss cap for any of the surgeries, just may take folks like us longer to get to the finish line. We're not going to get there in 6 months or even a year. And worst case scenario the sleeve can always be converted into a DS or RNY if need be.

i had the same concern mines was 60 ive lost 7lbs so its dropped to the high 50's

Well, I am post-op and started with a BMI in the 50s...so far so good....check out the board for people with 100+ or 200+ pounds to lose....lots of good stories...

I have 170 pounds to lose, as of right now....have about 122 pounds to go....

I'm sleeved and hopful

My Bmi was 55.3 when i started. I was sleeved March 21, so about 4.5 months out and am down to 325lbs with a bmi of 44 (im 6ft tall). My doctor agreed with my first goal of getting down to 199 that would give me a bmi of 27 which is still considered overweight, but once i get there i can decide how much further i want to go. But as of right now i would be happy as overweight as opposed to morbidly obese.

I've been doing a lot of thinking on this since I posted (seems I can't think about anything else! GAHH!) and I think what it comes down to is this:

- I really don't want the band.

- I'd rather try this and see if I can be successful without doing a 2nd surgery to get the RNY or switch... I'm nervous of the long term complications of those two, with the nutritional deficiencies. I think that this will be a catalyst to make me lose - and ANY loss is better than staying where I'm at, right?

If it takes me longer to get there, that's fine. I'm not doing this to be a size 6 by tomorrow, anyway... it's so I can actually move around and enjoy my life and actually have STORES to shop in for clothes (instead of online, sorting thru stuff that looks like my grandma would have liked!). I'm too young to feel this old, just cuz I'm big!!

thanks for the replies, all - and for pointing me in the direction of where to get more info from the bigger folks like me who had more to lose.

Just take a gander at my bmi. I choose the sleeve because of less issues as a RNY and I was concerned about time spent on a operating table. The sleeve is a very less invasive surgery compared to the RNY.The lap band is not for us morbidly obese just ask a qualified doctor. Even when I brought up these points to my Doc she was in complete agreement. Also, the RNY has better results with sweet eaters than say a volume eater. Best way to find out though is to ask the Doc for options

At my highest weight my BMI was 61. I had been considering WLS for over a year before really starting the process and only ever wanted the band. I saw two different doctors and after the second seminar I was more leaning to the sleeve. That doctor agreed. I went back to the first doctor and told him my thoughts about the band vs sleeve and he said "100% the sleeve is the right one for you." However, I was in a bit of a predicament because I was self-pay. The first doctor was more expensive but would do the surgery with a BMI of 61, no pre-op loss required. The second doctor was cheaper but wanted me to lose 70 lbs pre-op to get my BMI to 50. I chose the second doctor because money was the deciding factor and they had a lot of services available to help me lose that weight.

Having a BMI of under 50 would lessen the surgical risks. I'm sure the surgeon was also considering his own complication/mortality rate when refusing to operate then. One of the patient reps told me the BMI <50 is a goal because with the statistic of the average excess weight loss of ~70%, someone in that situation would still be obese. I am ok being in the overweight category because I know having 200+ pounds to lose I will probably have some skin issues and I don't want to be a stick anyway.

The doctor set a goal of BMI<55 to schedule surgery (meant -40lbs for me) and BMI<50 to have surgery (-70 lbs). I lost the 40 lbs, with their help, in less than 3 months and scheduled my surgery. I only lost 65 total before surgery, for a BMI of 51, but there was no mention of the other goal. I think he just wanted me to get moving in the right direction.

I don't know where you are in the process and what your requirements are going to be but I might recommend trying for some pre-op weight loss. It can only benefit you. I know it probably seems impossible and I was totally discouraged by the situation but I think it was honestly the best thing I could have done. Maybe your doctor even have certain services for people in your situation. I would still say the sleeve is the right choice. I'm not even halfway to goal but I'm confident I will continue losing and end up at a decent weight. You're right, the band is not for super obese, my doctor told me that. And RNY can have too drastic of an effect and requires more maintenance.

P.S. I hope I don't come off preachy or judgmental, don't mean it that way at all. I just thought my story might help and I'm glad everything worked out the way it did for me. But your doctor will know what's right for you.

My BMI when I started was 56.3 - with pre-op losses my surgery day BMI was 48.5. I have heard that BMI's of 55 and below will have a better chance of reaching goal weight. I am losing at a healthy 2-3 lbs a week now and hope to be under 200 by the new year - and close to goal sometime next year - well see how it goes, but so far so good.

It seemed like it was forever with the pre-op dieting, but now I am super thankful that I did it.

thank you keldollbeth and everyone, really for sharing their experiences. I am just so confused about what I need to do to get referred to surgeon that at this point, I'm just going through the motions of the pre-op requirements. I have the NUT visits and the psych eval scheduled. I'm going in a few weeks for an EKG and to get a pap done since I'm long overdue. I really am interested in the NUT visit and following a diet because, you're right, it's better for me as far as being a surgical risk, not not a bad idea to ease into a new eating regime since it's all bout to get flipped upsidedown when surgery happens anyway!

I really hadn't considered the idea that a dr. wouldn't refuse to do surgery before seeing weight loss... I kept focusing on the insurance requirements and getting the testing done - didn't even think about what the actual surgeon would want!

Ya learn something new everyday on this board, and for that, I'm so thankful!

My BMI was 51.6 I've lost 34 lbs and now I'm in the lower 40s.

Meka

I have a large BMI (take a look at my ticker below) and my doctor would not even consider the lap band because he said it wouldn't do what I needed it to do. He said the sleeve will work, but will take a little longer. No problem there!

I started with a bmi of 54 and I am down to 43. I think it is certainly doable. I would do the surgery again in a heartbeat. I wish I had done it years ago. Good luck with your decision! One thing I would add is be kind to yourself. Even if you have a bite of chocolate it's not the end of the world, the nice thing is that the sleeve won't let you turn that bite of chocolate into a bag of chocolate.

I started out at 489 lbs with a bmi of 70.2 . That was in Dec. of 2010. Had my surgery on August 16th of 2011 and weighed in at 404 lbs. I am currently at 263 with a bmi of 38. It can be done.

Respectfully,

Joe