I wanted to write about my experience with a lower bmi because while I am about 50 lbs overweight 182 5 ft 4 inches - I haven't seen too many posts that describe the surgery with this kind of weight loss. It took me a long time to decide to do this but I kept gaining and have a history of family members who get very very obese after their 40s. I am on the same track.

Anyway I am getting sleeve may 13. flyint to texas bc I actually have a friend who is a surgeon that does this. I feel good about that and I am staying with another friend.

I have 10 days and started the first day of a soft diet which is various soft Proteins, shakes, cottage cheese, eggs. I was basically good but ate too much. My goal today was just to get used to no carbs. I have had a splitting headache from giving up the caffiene but I am taking liquid tylenol and that helps a bit.

I was nervous about this but feeling better about it now and committed to doing this. Ill write about my experience so someone else in the future can decide if this makes sense for them. Ever since I decided to do this surgery I felt like I had control over my body for the first time in a long time. I also had smoked which I stopped. And started drinking tons of Water. Never could do that before.

So the surgery has instigated a number of great behaviors. all good. And this forum is key because people are so supportive. I really appreciate it.

Me too...me too! I want in! We sooooo need to create this! I will eat your mango chutney. I make a mean guacamole

Edited June 1, 201610 yr by RNYoYo

@jaxmon... I'm pre op, I'm don't understand all the concerns about hydration after the swelling goes down... It seems pretty simple, my nut said at least 64 oz of Water.... Not really a crazy amount of Fluid spread throughout the entire day... I don't get it

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them"

Einstein

@jaxmon... I'm pre op, I'm don't understand all the concerns about hydration after the swelling goes down... It seems pretty simple, my nut said at least 64 oz of Water.... Not really a crazy amount of Fluid spread throughout the entire day... I don't get it

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them"

Einstein

My concern, and my surgeon's, is that a good workout adds a lot more to the "baseline 64oz" for hydration. Hiking last weekend (not even in hot dry weather), I was taking in 160oz/day. Imagine post-op, when you can no longer chug water, just sip, and have to stop after 4-6 oz to let your reduced stomach empty out. Gonna be pretty hard to sip 160oz., even spread out over the whole day. So that's why my surgeon's going to restrict my length/intensity of workouts for a few weeks post-op. Your team may feel differently for you and your lifestyle.

On another topic - you guys are all under 35 BMI, and if you are pre-op you are likely going even lower through a required pre-op diet. We all know NIH doesn't officially recommend bariatric surgery below 35, even with co-morbidities. So my question for you: did your surgeon ever give you a speech about "risks of surgery outweigh the benefits under 35 BMI" or even "don't lose any more weight before surgery, it will reduce the benefits if surgery" speech? Mine did. I was not flattered. Of course I can lose weight - most of us are expert dieters, but also veteran regainers! I recently lost about 15# on a ore-op low-carb diet, but I have no faith at all that I can keep it off without surgery. I need this tool.

@seastars... Not under 35 bmi here

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them"

Einstein

I had a bmi of 35 and got sleeved 2 weeks ago

Sleeved may 13. dropped almost 20 lbs in the last 5 weeks and have only 25 more to go. I recently moved to soft diet and am having lots of trouble. eating is so difficult and the only thing that goes down easy is icecream which i started eating recently. i know that is bad and will stop.

I got really sick of Protein shakes. realistically i am getting 40 grams protein and 40 ounces of Water a day. I feel really lousy. tired and sick.

i just cant look at Protein Shakes anymore and getting protein is tough otherwise.

today i put a little piece of chicken, mashed sweet pototo (1/4 cup) and half a jar of gerber banana apricot in ablender.

sounds gross but i felt it was the first balanced meal i had in a few days.

i had to travel for work and im struggling with what to eat on the road. i do yogurts and cottage cheese....

i dont mean to complain bc the weight loss has been transformative and wicked fast and I am beyond happy with how I look.

I think its slowing down now. im sure the ice cream helps but I am ok with that. I wasn't expecting to lose this fast anyway. I need to get used to this ..

I too was 185 and 5'3" and was gaining. My asthma out of control and sleep apnea. Very expensive for me since i had to pay out of pocket. Many told me not to do it, "u can lose the extra,weight". I tried. So far so good, lost 16 lbs already. At first i was dizzy as i couldnt eat much. 5 weeks now n are trying to introduce dif foods. Today a,small salad.

I too was 185 and 5'3" and was gaining. My asthma out of control and sleep apnea. Very expensive for me since i had to pay out of pocket. Many told me not to do it, "u can lose the extra,weight". I tried. So far so good, lost 16 lbs already. At first i was dizzy as i couldnt eat much. 5 weeks now n are trying to introduce dif foods. Today a,small salad.

Good for you! When was your surgery? Mine was April 20th. I was 177 but am only 5'00". I was a revision from a band to a sleeve and it's much better. I'm down about 20 lbs and am thrilled. Hard to see some other posts where people have lost 30!pounds in a month but I've learned through this site not to compare. Plus I'm thrilled for each and every person who is losing- it's so motivating and genuinely makes me smile. I love this forum. :)

My surgery was 4/25

Good to know there are others out there that had a lower BMI and still chose this surgery. I was on the cusp at 35 BMI to get my insurance to cover the surgery. I wouldn't have been able to get it done otherwise.

I was always really thin most of my life until I hit my late 30's. got a divorce and proceeded to put on about 80 pounds. It seemed overwhelming to put on that much weight and not ever be able to get off more than 20 pounds through diet and exercise.

I had my surgery June 2 and so I'm on day 6 post-op. I've had minimal pain and have lost 9 pounds so far. I've been feeling a little angry about getting myself in this situation of this extreme to lose weight. I'm cranky because I have missed my little rituals of a Mcdonalds sausage biscuit and diet coke each morning and just eating in general. I am SO SICK of Protein shakes!!! I would even love a nice crisp salad. BUT I am encouraged when I step on the scale.

I didn't realize how much emotional support I was getting from food. Looking for ways to replace that.

What has the hair loss been like for people with lower bmi's? My hair has always been the one thing I get compliments in and I am scared to lose it.

I was insurance approved with a BMI of 35.5 and I had a revision from lap-band to sleeve last monday. Before the surgery my doctor came to the pre-surgery room to look at my stats. The day of the surgery, my BMI was 34 so he just made a funny comment like "you are not that big, are you?, winkwink" so I just smiled at him praying that he would go ahead with the surgery. I have several weight-related commorbities and I'm sure low-bmi patients will benefit from this surgery as much as other higher BMI patients. Health comes in different shapes and forms.

I totally feel we should be part of a medical study group or something!

Edited June 11, 201610 yr by lolarose13

One thing about this surgery is 99% of people you speak too say it's the best thing they ever done and there only regret is they never done it sooner, my bmi was 35 with no health problems but I had been obease my entire adult life and as I hit 30 it became even harder to shift the weight, I basically yo yo dieted for 12 years and then decided to take action due to there being a history of heart attacks and diabetes in my family, I'm now 4 weeks out and I must say I'm finding it hard but every1 does early doors, people who are 2 years out find it really easy because there not as restricted as other surgery you can basically live a normal life with this tool helping you to keep the weight off, my biggest problem was my portion sizes, I could eat a mountain of food before I was satisfied. U made the right decision!

What has the hair loss been like for people with lower bmi's? My hair has always been the one thing I get compliments in and I am scared to lose it.

I began to notice hair loss around four months post-op, but I was the only one who noticed it. In the past I've had some hair loss and thinning due to medicine I was taking, and a friend asked me directly about it. Others who are a bit less candid looked at my thinning hair, and some would then ask about my health. This time not a soul has ever said anything about it, or stared at my hair quizzically, and that helped me to calm down about it. When my weight loss slowed down, so did my hair loss. I've still lost enough to make it to the goals I'd set out, but it's just taken a while. Another perk besides the minimal hair loss has been absolutely no loose skin.

I didn't take Biotin or anything else that claims to help with hair growth. A few years ago I took a Vitamin a lot of people were raving about on Instagram and YouTube that was supposed to help your hair to grow, and it caused a terrible breakout on my face. My dermatologist told me that taking excessive levels of B Vitamins can cause breakouts, so I've avoided anything containing too much since then.

About 7 months post op when I really wasn't having any hair loss beyond the typical shedding I did try a collagen supplement from Amazon because of a post on here where a woman gushed about how much it had helped her. It didn't really help me, but I only took it for a month, and it also didn't harm me. It has a ton of positive reviews on Amazon, and is inexpensive.

Thank you for writing this!!!! Can I PM you? I'm also a low BMI. 33. Very similar weight and height to you. I'm getting sleeved on July 7th. I have all kinds of guilt too. I've been overweight my entire life. But on the lower BMI side. I just can't seem to lose weight anymore and it's just gonna get worse. I am still young and want to put this behind me!!!!!! But I have 3 children and also feel like this is optional. Im starting to freak out as its getting so close.