I am scheduled for surgery on Dec. 13, 2012. I was wondering if I could get some input from past sleevers that have had the VSG with a bmi under 35. I wonder if this is such a drastic measure just to loose about 60lbs. I don't have any diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. Im just tired of being overweight. Of course, I don't want to get too thin either. I like having my curves. I am also getting pretty nervous about this surgery. I ask myself, should I really do this? I also can't find any sleevers past 5 yrs postop. How will I be at 70yrs old. (im 40 right now).

there is a thread for sleevers that started under 200 pounds, look for it.

You will be fine.my Bmi is 34.9. I was worried too that I would get too thin. My surgeon reassured me I wouldnt. My surgery date is 12/3. I have several medical issues and do not want it to get worst. if you dont get the surgery you may develop something later. surround yourself with positive people and go get your Blessings. It will so be worth it.

My bmi was 32 and I had/have high blood pressure. I'm 4 months out and have about 20 more lbs to lose but it's going verrrrryyyy slow now. I don't regret having the surgery at all, but it's a huge adjustment. My surgeon completely supports lower bmi patients...he says he can do it now or wait until you have diabetes/high bp, etc since it's likely to develop. So why wait?

I started reading the thread "complications" and started to get fearful. Wow, the last thing i want is to get sick. I realize at first i probably will be during recovery. I know we are all different but how was your revovery? Tell me the good, bad and ugly.

I am scheduled for surgery on Dec. 13' date=' 2012. I was wondering if I could get some input from past sleevers that have had the VSG with a bmi under 35. I wonder if this is such a drastic measure just to loose about 60lbs. I don't have any diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. Im just tired of being overweight. Of course, I don't want to get too thin either. I like having my curves. I am also getting pretty nervous about this surgery. I ask myself, should I really do this? I also can't find any sleevers past 5 yrs postop. How will I be at 70yrs old. (im 40 right now).[/quote']

The surgery is too new to have any long term data. Not even the surgeons know what you will be like at 70. Its scary not knowing. But the complications of obesity are more dangerous than what may happen post op in years to come...so it seems. I think the only thing we can compare it to is stomach resection...cutting cancer out of stomach. Thats all that it really is , a large resection. Maybe look up that info?? I only know this bc i work with sugeons. Ask your surg about this!

I had a low bmi to start with. I needed to lose 60 lbs. I decided on surgery mainly based on watching my mother & all of her health complications at age 70. I was "pre-diabetic" bur no other health issues. I had surgery on 9/10 and it was the best decision (I am 41).

My start weight was 182 on day of surgery & I am 151 today. I would like to lose about 30 more pounds. I expect it will take until June/ July to get to goal.

I'm sitting right at 34.9, I've been reading and researching for months. I have diabetes, GERD, high cholrestrol, high blood pressure, I just told my husband last night I'm about to make the call and get started on the journey in January. For the life of me I don't understand insurance companies.They would rather pay out over $900 a month for just my insulin,plus all my other meds, rather than pay for the surgery for lower BMI. I personal think the BMI requirement should be lowered if you have co-morbilities.

I now this sounds teribble but i'd gain another ten pounds and you'd qualify. That's crazy that they do that.

I'm 47 yrs old, my BMI was 32 at the time of surgery. I weighed 177 at the time of my surgery (9/4/12) & now weigh 136, total weight loss of 41 pounds. I now have a healthy BMI of 23 & feel better than I have in over 10 years. I once was a yo-yo dieter & that wasn't working for me. My Dr tells me that my body will eventually plateau at it's desired weight & then I will have to maintain. Basically, he told me I can eat what, in moderation & I don't exercise like I should. I am averaging a weight loss now of about 1-2 pounds a week. Best of luck to you & if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

I had 70ish pounds to lose (60 if you ask my doctor, 70 if I get to pick) and had the first surgery in august. I had zero risk factors and no comorbidities.

By five weeks out from the first surgery I was in surgery again. I now have scared lungs, a damaged stomach and a bigger fear of hospitals than I've ever had! There's nothing like having a doctor ask you if you want to see a Chaplin before you go to sleep. I had a second surgery to fix the leak in my stomach and spent 22 days in hospital, about 60 unable to care for my child as I was too weak to get out of bed. All of this for a cosmetic procedure (which it would be for you as well). I wish I'd have had just one of the horrific tortures they did to save me done prior to my initial surgery. I'd have joined a gym and lost the weight without surgery if I had. Needles the size of knitting needles stuck down my back into my lungs, a hose the size of a garden hose stuck into my chest with a pump attached. Both procedures are done without anesthesia. A feeding tube that damaged my throat. A PICC line that left me with blood clots. Oh and did I mention the hematoma that was left in my abdomen which causes significant pain...or the internal bleeding that required two blood transfusions and left me having seizures for 24 hours after the initial surgery?

Ya I lost weight. It's not worth it!!! I almost left my small child without a mom just so I could lose weight.

Some of you may not like this response, but cest la vie... First, let me clarify that I have well over 100 pounds to lose so I am not a low BMI'er and I also didn't have an insurance company footing the bill, so my research and deliberation was extensive and lengthy (over a year). There are MAJOR risks associated with this surgery and it is an EXTREMELY difficult adjustment for not only yourself, but everyone involved in your life. Nothing about it is "easy". Please search for member "Iggy Chic" and read her story. She was low BMI and she openly admits that she had this surgery purely for vanity reasons and "potential/possible future weight issues" based on her personal family history. She went through absolute hell. (She has the inner strenth of Atlas times 10 by the way !) If I had only 50 or 60 pounds to lose, NO WAY would I have had this surgery. Her story, and those of several others, are stories of absolute HORROR, and the potentlal for these types of nightmares to happen is very real. Unless my life was truly threatened by MORBID obesity (not just moderately overweight and catering to vanity), and if I had no other very serious issues, I'd go another route and I'd keep trying other routes until all else had failed. Having 80% of a major organ removed permanently shouldn't be considered as anything other than an absolute last resort. This surgery is in NO WAY an easy fix... It will change your life for sure, but sometimes there are changes that you'd give anything to be able to undo, and this surgery cannot be undone. Just my two cents, so please don't attack or get ugly. I'm just offering food for thought based on my personal experiences and more than a year of extensive research.

LOL IGGY CHIC !!! You beat me to hitting the enter button ! .

LOL IGGY CHIC !!! You beat me to hitting the enter button ! .

LOL Liz and I didn't even mention the half million in bills from the complications.....but we'll save that for the next Q&A session ok?

And by the way...thanks hun

OP, I am one tough cookie...but let me tell you, what this did to me morally and psychologically....I went to a dark place as anyone would do under the fear of losing your life, and the horrific and constant pain. I went from being the type of person who could almost do my own blood draws without flinching, to begging for anesthesia to have my freaking blood pressure taken (ok not that bad but it was close!). I never wanted to give up or kill myself because I had a child to live for, but without him...gad I don't know if I'd have fought so hard. The worst part of my complications were the helpless moments and I can't possibly describe that to anyone so they'd understand, but the place your mind goes when you are having seizure after seizure and can't stop them...fully cognizant in my mind, but unable to speak for 24 hours...I have trouble even thinking about what that did to me.

Gad I'm depressing myself LOL I need to go decorate a few Christmas trees!!!!! Anyone want to join me? I have ten and only two are done so far.

How many calories do you burn hanging ornaments? LOL

Thanks for sharing. Thanks for the postive post and the posts with bad experiences. I did ask for the good, bad and ugly. I dont even know what to say to someone that has been through such a difficult journey. I'm sorry. I hope your health continues to improve as the days go by.

OMG I'd be begging for anesthesia if I had 10 christmas trees to decorate !!!