My family is making me nervous. .they keep telling me I'm not big enough for WLS.that I will get to skinny. .they are concern why my doc world allow me to have wls..I currently weight 235lb, 5'4..we have a family friend that had VSG 2012.. she's realllly starting to look scary unhealthy, and my mom & sis..keeps telling me. They hope I take her example seriously. .getting nervous :-(

As a male, I am 5'7 and weighed 250. I was sleeved three months ago, October 7, 2013. I now weight 170, down 80 pounds. If the surgery wasn't right for you, the surgeon wouldn't be doing it. Also, sometime people around the individual that had the weight loss surgery may view someone as being to thin or this or that just plain out because they are so used to seeing that person in a heavier form. The surgery is the best thing I have ever done. I am currently below doctors goal weight at three months out and have 5 more pounds till I reach my personal goal weight. You will be fine :-) no worries! First pic is day of surgery, second pic is current.

Sleeved three month ago, October 7, 2013

Start weight: 250

Current Weight: 170

I'm loving this thread. .all the info is greatly appreciated..I know my family means well, but their fear is realllly starting to make me feel. I will look unhealthy and sickely if I weight about 140-150lbs..but I'm sticking with my decision. And pray that everything goes well. Also I don't end up looking unhealthy. .they are the type to say "I told you".

I started out at a size , tight, 18/20 and now (almost 11 weeks later) in a loose 14. Whenever I say something about being overweight or wanting to lose another 61lbs people look at me like im nuts. That would put me in a comfortable size 7. It's been about 12-13 years but I look great in a size 7. When I was 18-20 years Old I was a size 4... people would tell me I was too skinny often they looked worried. Now, when i tell people that at xxx lbs lost would put me at a 7 they say, oh! Like it's a surprise. I think people were so used to seeing me fat and now that I look normal they just dont realize just how fat I was until I show them a picture. Then they're blown away. As for getting to a certain weight or size it really depends on the person. Some women at my hight (5'5) look beautiful at a size 4, but I (used to) have a very athletic body type, I was never willowy, bigger boned I guess and a 4 was just to skinny for me. It's very subjective. I agree with the posters above. I'll continue to follow my plan and take care of myself. I'll continue to monitor my progress in pictures because I have body dysmorphia. If "strangers" start saying I'm too skinny I'll reevaluate. Because the people close to me have dysmorphia too when it comes to me.

I'm 5'3". Do I look unhealthy yet?

you look awesome! Great job

5'4" on day of surgery. 233. Can't wait to worry about this...

I am sure there is a point we all go through where we may not look totally healthy. Or bodies need time to adjust to what they are going through. I have lost around 65lbs so far and, at times, I look bad. My hair is terrible (not just due to surgery but other factors) so I started wearing a wig. With the wig I need to wear make up or I think I look weird..So I actually look better now to others, but when I am home and "undone" I look horrible. It is all perspective. I still have over 100lbs to lose to reach "goal" so who knows what stages my body will go through. Ultimately all I care is I am healthy so let others have their opinions...

i get a lot of this ..... you arent big enough for weight loss surgery. what should i wait until i have a heart attack. im tired of explaining to people that i have other serious co morbidities that i need to do this for. obviously my insurance company thought i needed this, they approved me on the 1 st attempt and it took them less than a day to approve it!

i get a lot of this ..... you arent big enough for weight loss surgery. what should i wait until i have a heart attack. im tired of explaining to people that i have other serious co morbidities that i need to do this for. obviously my insurance company thought i needed this, they approved me on the 1 st attempt and it took them less than a day to approve it!

12.13beforeafter.jpg

I'm 5'3". Do I look unhealthy yet?

Girl you did that! LOL!

You look fantastic.

I have enjoyed reading all of the responses on here. This too was a question I pondered, along with my family. I discussed my concerns with my surgical team while deciding on what surgery to have. One of the benefits of the sleeve is not experiencing some of the malabsorption other WLS can. For me, I was worried about looking tired, sickly, and saggy. While we can't predict what the body will do with weight loss, drinking water, working out and getting in protein does a lot to help with the physical part of how our bodies look and respond to weight loss. In making my decision I had to weigh my pros and cons, and ultimately weighing less and having more energy to take better care of myself outweighed the what ifs of what my body may look like. Thanks for posting, this was a great thread!

After I had lost about half the weight I wanted to lose, people started telling me I was looking unhealthy? I lost it in my face first. I think it was because they we're used to me at that weight. Funny now that I have reached my goal rarely hear that anymore! I think maybe I've evened out a bit. Whatever weight you feel healthy with is the right one for you.

i get a lot of this ..... you arent big enough for weight loss surgery. what should i wait until i have a heart attack. im tired of explaining to people that i have other serious co morbidities that i need to do this for. obviously my insurance company thought i needed this, they approved me on the 1 st attempt and it took them less than a day to approve it!

Everyone says that to me, including one of the aides in the surgeon's office (wtf, right?). Just because I carry the weight better than others doesn't mean I want to stay a size 22 and die of a heart attack at age 50. Ignore those haters and keep on keeping on we can do this!!

re14768..... I am 5'4'' also, with a starting weight of 235. 2 weeks post op today and down to 201.6 If your surgeon is willing to do it, the he does not think you are too "thin" for WLS. Remember, it's your body, your health, and your decision. Do what you need to do to get healthy and happy. Shut the door on negative nellies.....good luck.

12.13beforeafter.jpg

I'm 5'3". Do I look unhealthy yet?

You look fantastic! You were beautiful in your before picture and absolutely stunning in your after.

Besides my actual health this was a huge issue to my family prior to surgery. Of course they saw me several times at my unhealthiest weight of 100lbs with the band.. So I don't blame them. I set my goal at a high 130lbs and the red line cut off at 125lbs. I've been hovering at 127 for along time. Sadly, I keep wanting to lose more because I don't like my thighs. My PS told me NO MORE WEIGHTLOSS ... Weightloss isn't going to help the spots I'm unhappy with. Losing more weight would be an unhealthy thing to do. So be it. I am healthy and thats my main goal.

Basic reasons for looking unhealthy is diet and losing too much. Excercise is definitely a bonus for the extra glow.. But some of us can't (naturally) do much about the south pole pull