Hello everyone. I have my first appt with the nurse practitioner on Wednesday to see if I qualify.

With my insurance I need to have a BMI of 40 or above or a BMI with a co morbidity (diabetes, uncontrolled high blood pressure, sleep apnea). I have no co morbidity but this is my dilemma. My current weight is 264. I am not quite 5' 8.5". If the nurse goes with the lower number I will be at 40 but if she bumps me up to 5'9 I am not quite at 40.

I will be so disappointed if I am not approved for the gastric sleeve. I have my heart set on this tool to help me get healthier. Any thoughts on this or has anyone been this close with their BMI?

I have heard of a few people on here who intentionally gained another 10-15 pounds to qualify.

I was close and yes I did eat a lot before my initial appointment. I always felt I was 5'6" but I have shrunk over the years and measured in at 5'4" in my first appointment. I know a friend who used a dissected old ankle weight and placed in pockets and under belt. She said she ended up with a co morbidity anyway so did not matter.

Well I plan to take my shoes off so technically I will not be at 5' 8.5... I would be closer to 5'8" so she shouldn't really round up to 5'9"!!! Oh the pressure!! LOL

I didn't have that problem I was well within bmi but I just wanted to wish you luck and I hope you will be approved. This surgery has helped me so much to get around better. Fingers crossed for you.

First off let me say that this is not the best way to go but I, like you, was on the border line not knowing if my BMI was high enough. I did have diabetes but not quite bad enough to go on any medicine yet. But I wanted this so bad. I was 248 height 5'6" and was miserable. My hips hurt when I would tried to walk anywhere. When I went in the first time and talked to everyone at the Bariatric Clinic they were starting to sound like they were goin to turn me down. Finally when I talked to the RN I said " If you guys decide not to let me have the surgery I will eat myself up to where I need to be at for you to except me. If you send me home I can promise you I will be back next month and try again and I will keep eating until I make it." The nurse said oh no don't tell me that and I said " I am dead serious about this!!! Well they excepted me. So here I am 8 months later down 65 lbs. I am what they call a slow loser but I am still determined to lose another 33 lbs and will be happy at 150 at least for a while. For the last two months I have only lost 2 lbs but bound and determined to get to 150 some how. In case you haven't guessed I am Very stubborn. Ask my husband. lol. Good luck to you.