Ok, so I'm new here and really looking into having the band. I'm 26 years old, 5'9 inches and weigh 245lbs. My family doesn't seem to think I'm big enough to have the surgery. I'm still looking into the insurance part of it to see if I'm covered, but I'm curious to see how tall and how heavy everyone was before they had their surgery. My goal weight is 145 so to me I'm 100 lbs overweight. Am I dreaming that I would ever be a candidate for this surgery?? I would be thankful for your input!

Hi I'm 5'8" and was 243 after 1 week of preop and 1 week of banding I'm 223.Only another 80 to go.If you don't feel good in your own body nobody saying "your fine" helps.You go girl

.Nicole

Thanks for your encouragement! How are things going for you so far??

You're stats are so similar to mine - 5ft 10 and about 245 (I think in kilograms sorry) pre surgery, now 157 lb. I'd like to get to 148, which is a BMI of 21. Not sure if I ever will, I really have stabilised here and am pretty thin now, its just a matter or trimming off a few of the extra bits on the thighs, lol.

Not big enough for surgery? That makes me mad. We are so used to our population in the western world being obese that overweight now looks normal to us. I was fat at 245, fat fat FAT. I looked disgusting, I felt disgusting. People on the whole arent as fat here, as much of the Australian population is overweight proportion wise, but we have so far, much less morbid obesity although probably not for long. Nearly everyone is a little bit fat kind of thing but someone really obese still stands out. But we can get banded here much more easily.

I was 5'4" and weighed in at 252. I was big with a BMI of 43. That was exactly 3 months ago. I'm now at 216.

I am 5'11"

Started at 300 lbs

Now I am 239 lbs

According to the BMI calculator you are at 36.2. Most insurance companies require a BMI of 40 OR a BMI of 35 with 2 comorbidities. If you are self pay there would obviously be no problems.

Don't let anyone tell you "you're not fat enough". I heard the same thing and didn't listen...thank goodness!

I'm 5'6" and weighed "only" 208 pounds. I'd lost the same 80 pounds 4 times in the last 20 years and could not keep the weight off. My BMI was lower than needed for insurance to pay but I found a great doc who listened to me and understood by looking at my family history that if I didn't stop overeating that I'd be mobidly obese like the rest of my family.

I paid $15k in Sept 06 and am down to 145 lbs (goal is 125). And while I look much better than I did before surgery the real payoff is that I'm ACTIVE now. I ride bikes, I enjoy the gym, I can work on remodeling my house without my back and knees killing me.

So...moral of the story....only you know what is right for you.

Good luck!

Lisa

Hi There. I am 5'8 and I was banded at 282. My goal weight is 185. They say that I should be 160-165 to be average but my doctor said 185 is good. 145 seems a little low. Isn't it hard to maintain?