Hi members,

i have few days to decide to do gastric sleeve i am 74kg and 157 cm height with BMI 30.

is this too low to do this surgery. I really need to lose 20 kgs.

thanks,

I think with your weight/height/BMI it is not too low to do surgery. Go for it!

It sure seems low to me, but only you can make that decision. 75-80% of your stomach will be permanently removed with gastric sleeve, so it's a big decision. Best of luck in deciding what is best for you!

My BMI when I got my band was around 32. My personal opinion is that when your BMI is at that level it is only going to get higher, there are very few people that manage to get it down to a healthy level and keep it there without some kind of assistance.

Studies are now showing it’s more beneficial to have bariatric surgery at a lower BMI. A BMI of 30 and above is considered obesity and yet for those that need help with insurance coverage it won’t kick in unless it’s 35 with very specific comorbidities or BMI of 40 +

I wished I’d been able to tackle my weight earlier on. Doctors were of no help no matter how much I begged for help. Of course I wish it had been an option many years ago.

If you can’t do it with diet alone, and as long as you understand that this is a tool to permanently change your way of eating and create healthier habits for your life - then I say go for it. It’s better than struggling to go it alone. I know for me, I could not have gotten this far without it.

It depends. Most insurances want your BMI to be 40 or higher without co-morbidities or 35 and higher for someone with co-morbidities. Sometimes they will go with lower BMI, but you have to check with your insurance on that. If you want insurance to pay for it, you will have to meet their guidelines. If you are going to pay cash... go for it!

On 3/1/2020 at 8:06 AM, Nadz83 said:

Hi members,

i have few days to decide to do gastric sleeve i am 74kg and 157 cm height with BMI 30.

is this too low to do this surgery. I really need to lose 20 kgs.

thanks,

Hi, I'm also a low BMI (31.4). Have tried multiple diets and exercise combo's etc, but nothing sustainable.

Now, I have hypertension and borderline diabetes so I think it's worthwhile for me.

I suppose you need to ask yourself whether you're doing it just to be slimmer (and why do you want to be slimmer)? or is it health concerns as well.

Although, the risk is low from a VSG there are still complications and failures; also the cost...

My BMI is also 31.4 and I am having the sleeve in a few weeks. My BMI has been higher in the past and my weight continues to go and up and down, it has never consistently stayed down. I am having the op as I am now borderline diabetic, suffering with joint pains and I do not want to spend the rest of my life fighting a losing battle. I am paying cash and am hoping this tool will give me the support I need to control my weight.

Mine was done at BMI 34 (self-pay) and I wish I'd done it at BMI 30 before I became pre-diabetic with a fatty liver, lowered kidney function, and rising blood pressure - plus I was miserable with the extra weight. People were so mean to me, especially the college students in my previous town - hey, when I was their age I was thin, too! And I know I was passed over for promotion at work due to my weight - they tended to promote slim, fit-looking people. I was great at my job, have a master's in management, and have a good amount of leadership experience so it wasn't a failure in ability on my part.

Now that I'm within 1 pound of my half-way weight loss point my health is drastically improved as well as my appearance. Prior to surgery it took me six months of hard work to lose only 11 pounds and my health didn't improve but now the weight is consistently coming off. I'm also completely off my sugar/carb addiction though I'll need to be diligent for the rest of my life.

Realize that if you continue to gain, when and if you do have the surgery your skin won't bounce back as well as at your now lower BMI. It's such a highly personal decision to have the surgery but please know I'm thrilled with my results and feel the clock has been turned back by decades even though I still have weight to lose. The future looks so bright. Good luck!

On 2/29/2020 at 2:06 PM, Nadz83 said:

Hi members,

i have few days to decide to do gastric sleeve i am 74kg and 157 cm height with BMI 30.

is this too low to do this surgery. I really need to lose 20 kgs.

thanks,

I didn’t realize that surgeons/insurance companies would consider anything under a BMI except for a band. Has that changed?