Should people barely over 200 lbs or below 200 get Lapband or any WLS...?

[green 6]

Private health insurancers in Australia will pay for banders with a BMI of 35 and up with no co-morbidities, and BMI 30 and up with co-morbidities, pretty much as long as the bariatric surgeon is willing to do the surgery, really.

I believe they are of the view that it's best to band a patient with a history of not being able to lose weight rather than wait for them to gain to a point where their health is seriously compromised. To the insurers here, it's better to pay for the band than to pay out for obesity-related health issues long term. The band has an excellent success rate, and I'm sure they long ago realised their initial investment was saving them heaps in the long run.

So in that respect, insurance here is different from the US. It's not uncommon to see people with BMIs of just over 30 having the band here in Australia. I saw a girl at my Dr's clinic yesterday, who looked in her early teens, who told me she'd lost 7kgs (about 15lbs) since surgery. She looked like her BMI couldn't have been much more than 30 when she started. She then told me she'd been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and is already off her meds because her levels are completely normal now. The band did for her what medication couldn't - it put her diabetes into remission.

At a BMI of 37 pre-surgery (with only about 60lbs to lose) I was told constantly that I didn't look like I needed WLS. But I'd been this heavy for the last 20 years and had tried EVERYTHING to lose weight. Nothing worked and every year I put on more weight.

This surgery has done what nothing else has managed to do - which is help me lose weight and keep it off. Why should I have been denied the help I needed simply because I have less to lose than others?

That approach works for me; it is pro-active instead of being merely reactive. I was proactive, too. I weighed in at 195 and I paid to have the band installed; this has been a largely positive experience. I was able to overcome the gluttony which kept me married to my plate. And to take the time away from this in order to do some research as to what would make for healthy little Snacks for someone who despised cooking. lol

[mutti471975 0]

I am probably to late to really add anything to all the comments above but wanted to reply - I am 53 yrs young, 4'11" and 203 lbs. I've had HB since I was 38 (at which time I was only about 30 lbs overweight). I have tried various diets including Medifast on which I lost about 25 lbs but when I was never taught how to eat so all the weight came back + 20 more (at this time my cholestryal (sp) was high doing an all liquid diet) but nothing was said about that. Tried WW - lost another 30 lbs but never felt full so I was not able to maintain any weight loss. Now here I am 53, high blood pressure (which doesn't want to stay controlled) High cholestral, pre-diabetes, Acid Reflux with a BMI of 40...after trying WW, quick weight loss, Adkins, South Beach, pills, Slim-fast, grapefruit diet, mayo clinic diet...need I go on.

I just wish when I had started looking at this surgery, I hadn't been told - "you're not big enough". Hello, every single woman in my family has heart problems, stroke, and breast cancer - what more do I need to prove I NEED THIS HELP!

Thanks for letting me Vent!!!!:wink:

[miranda robinson 0]

hi all -

before bed last night i went to the chat room here on LBT and began by asking if anyone had knowledge of the mexican doc i am considering for banding.

other chatters started asking why mexico. they asked my BMI, height, weight, age, jean size, lots of stuff. they began criticizing me because i said i wanted to lose 40-45 lbs. i explained that weightloss had been a life-long struggle for me (and my mother and my sister). i said i feel like the band would be a tool or aide in my weightloss journey; that i didn't expect it to be a magic pill or any easy way out. they did not agree at all.

there were probably 8 different chatters, maybe more. the text was moving so quickly i could hardly keep up and type, too. one woman put her text in capitals and started "yelling" at me. she said it's people like me that give WLS a bad name. one man named dan said i was being weak (another said ridiculous) and that i should just join weight watchers and start walking. one person said two or three times to the other chatters, "...go check out crickpoodle's profile." another comment said, no good doctor would give me a band, only a hack from mexico who only wanted money. i didn't know they would take my situation so personally or that i would be a lightening rod for so much criticism.

i wish there were a way i could have saved that stream of chat. i wish you could read it. i wish i could re-read it. i want to remind myself never to go back there again.

i thanked them for their opinions and logged out. i went to bed feeling horrible, near tears. i know i shouldn't give them so much power over me but i was left feeling very selfish and vain and in doubt of my own motivations for wanting WLS.

i have also watched some very abusive exchanges on the chat line which have perturbed me at times. I have also seen some quick obscene exchanges. Weight lose has a different psycological and emotional profile of everyone and only you know how you feel about your body image and you future ability to control your weight. I found that the weight was slowly creeping up on me as I was getting older, although my BMI was 32 I know that it would be 40 in ten years time. WLS has given me new confidence and control of my own destiny. stay away from the chat room, and dont buy into any negative attitudes, this is the greatest step forward to weight lose and contol so far in this decade.

[mutti471975 0]

Don't worry about anyone but yourself. They are probably jealous that they didn't have the foresight to do something about their weight sooner. I say go for it ---- just make sure that you do all the research about the doctor as well as the procedure that you are looking into.

Let me know how you do!!!!:thumbdown:

[gamyj 0]

i know i have been treated poorly by responses ive made in a different thread. i think what people forget is that we are all entitled to our opinions, but respect should be apart of the equation. miranda, I am so sorry that u were treated poorly. i wish i was able to have had surgery when i had "only" 45 lbs to lose. it would have saved me such sadness and stress. unfortunatly i waited until i was 209 ( i am only 5'). I am so thankful to have this tool and i know its going to work for me. you deserve to be happy too miranda. I wish u all the luck!

amy

[mutti471975 0]

Miranda - I don't think any of us would be on these boards if we hadn't tried everything known to man. I'm just thankful that this is a option for me. I have watched all of my family suffer from their weight. My mom was diagnosed with diabetes in 2000, had a heart attack in 2001, and a series of mini strokes in 2003 which left her paralized on the right side at which time we had to put her in a nursing home because she could not feed herself, walk, get out of bed or even know when she had to go to the bathroom. She lived another 4 years extremely unhappy because of her circumstances. I am determined that it won't happen to me. My oldes bro had HB, Diabetes, and periaterial disease - sister, HB, stroke at 47, diabetes, cancer - other bro, HB, stroke and living in nursing hm due to strokes and diabetes....My self - HB, prediabetes --- I'm going to stop this train before it becomes a train wreck....

The board can be good but they definitely don't tell the who story.... so be carefuly throwing stones

[Elayne 0]

Before I was 40 - my weight was manageable - even after several pregnancies.

I wasn't skinny - but healthy.

Since then - with hypothyroidism and medications - I put on 80 pounds - all within one year.

My highest was 220.

This body, hich never had to bear this much weight, now has high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, diabetes II, arthritic knees and a weakening heart.

My waistline measures many inches more than my plump hips and bust-line - a sure risk factor for heart attacks.

On top of that - My self esteem is so low I rarely leave my home.

I've been carrying this excess weight for nearly 20 years - and after countless diets and 2 knee surgeries (the next one will be a knee replacement) I've decided on lap-band surgery to help me lose weight -

For both my mental and physical HEALTH!

Hell - yes! I'm getting this surgery

And all my doctors strongly approve.

[Debi H. 0]

I was not very big either and for health reasons had the surg. (in MEXICO). yes I paid for it myself. I WOULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN. I believe in preventive medicine. I can give you a referral if you want. I went to Cancun for mine. It was a wonderful experience and the area was gorgous. Dont listen to the others that cut any of you-us. They dont understand that it affects everyone differently and i noticed that alot of us arent very tall. If I was 5'3" at 153# it might not look as bad as it does at 4'11". Good luck to all and God bless you too!:glare:

[maclynn 0]

Mutti,

Your story sounds almost identical to mine with the exception of cancer in my immediate family. I think too many people focus on the pounds and not the BMI.

[Lady Lap Band 71]

As long as there doctor says so, I think they should be able to!

[Sarah.R 2]

You forget to factor in their height. If someone is 5'1 and weighs just over 200lbs then they are classified as morbidly obese. Who are we to say who can and can't get this surgery? We know the reason that us as individuals are getting the surgery and if someone is just under 200lbs and needs this surgery and can afford it or their insurance deems that they are entitled to it we have no right let alone judgement in saying they can't have it.

[Carrie_C 9]

Hey what happened to Froggi?

[Mouse81841 0]

I was turned down at 210 pounds (im 5ft 4) and within a years time gained 40 pounds due to a whole list of reasons to include PCOS and diabetes ect. I cant help but think that it would have been a better option 40 pounds ago for both my health and for the amount of money the insurance has had to shell out for all of my stuff. I think if you have weight issues in your family and such, preventative medicine is the way to go. Besides who am I to judge? We get judged enough for getting this surgery by others. We need to support one another.

[pattygreen 5]

I was turned down at 210 pounds (im 5ft 4) and within a years time gained 40 pounds due to a whole list of reasons to include PCOS and diabetes ect. I cant help but think that it would have been a better option 40 pounds ago for both my health and for the amount of money the insurance has had to shell out for all of my stuff. I think if you have weight issues in your family and such, preventative medicine is the way to go. Besides who am I to judge? We get judged enough for getting this surgery by others. We need to support one another.

This is true. We do need to support one another. It's just that most of us who have had surgery for weight loss were very heavy, like 280 or over 300 lbs. when we had it. We think about 200 or 220 lbs. and say," If only I could weigh that little." So, we'd be 'happy' at that weight and not even desire or need the surgery. See what I mean?

[Mouse81841 0]

No, I dont. We were all 200 pds at one point.