I know it may be wrong of me but this is the R&R board. I have been hearing more and more stories of people just barely over 200 or under 200 getting lapband...do you think this is normal or needed etc. Let me know YOUR opinion.

The results are private in the poll...feel free to be truthful.

Voicing your opinion is allowed too.

And I am talking people completely healthy and average height or more.

Edited June 29, 200818 yr by Froggi

I'm 5'9" and weigh 240 lbs. I keep getting told by every else (outside of my family and dr office) that I don't look "big enough" to have this surgery. It's very frustrating. I've been the same size roughly since highschool. I have several different health problems and the weight needs to come off. PCOS and fibro doesn't help at all.

As far as the poll, honestly, if a persons doctor apprvoes them, then so be it.

I'm 5'9" and weigh 240 lbs. I keep getting told by every else (outside of my family and dr office) that I don't look "big enough" to have this surgery. It's very frustrating. I've been the same size roughly since highschool. I have several different health problems and the weight needs to come off. PCOS and fibro doesn't help at all.

As far as the poll, honestly, if a persons doctor apprvoes them, then so be it.

EVERYBODY (including the docs) told me I wasn't big enough for the surgery... and I was 292 pounds! They still tell me I need to STOP losing and I am still 201 pounds! Nobody knows your body like you do! Good luck with your surgery and your NEW BEGINNING! God Bless!

I voted yes BECAUSE

I'm using me for example: I am 5'2 300lbs I want to get to weight around 140 once I get to 140 the band will still be in my body I can get it unfill once I hit my goal but let say I gain 10lbs now I'm 150lbs SHOULD I be denied a fill cause I'm not consider over weight anymore should I get back to 300 so I can get another fill

I am 5'6 and got banded when I weighed about 210. Yes I didn't have a lot of weight to lose with a BMI of 33 ( I want to lose about 70 pounds) but I have PCOS which makes losing weight almost impossible for me. My knees were also starting to bug me. Working my ass of going to the gym 5 times a week and eating well would only get me to 195 pounds if I was lucky ( but it wouldnt stay off for long)

The only time I lost a lot of weight was when I went on crazy starve diets were I would get b12 vitamin injections 3 times a week to help reduce my hunger and give me more energy. Once I stopped those diets my weight went back up no matter how hard I tried.

I was able to lose 15 pounds once by myself ( no crazy diet) by working at a tree planter working 10 hours a day planting up to 2,000 trees a day for 2 months. Yes standing, walking, and carry hundreds of pounds of extra weight on my back only made me lost 15 pounds in two months! (I think thats terrible considering how hard I had to work) I don't think I should have to have that kind of job just to get to a better weight.

I was also afraid of future issues I could get thanks to PCOS like diabetes and other heath issues so I opted for lapband while I have been living in Korea. Being over 200 lbs is considered really obese here where most people are tiny.

So yes if someone is in the obese category according to their BMI then I think they should be allowed to get surgery. I am sure though I could never get it in Western countries just because you must have 40 or over BMI most of the time :S

If you are tall 200 pounds may not look bad, but still not a healthy weight. If you are short, it is still not a healthy weight. So do what you need to do.

Would you wait to have a tumor removed because its not "big enough"? Obesity is as dangerous as cancer, just maybe not as fast.

I'm 5' 2.5" and was banded at 202 lbs three yrs ago. I've battled my weight all my life. Up and down from the time I lost 40 lbs my junior year in high school. I've been a size 5 and a 16 and everything in between. My surgeon called me a "lightweight." My insurance covered it with no out of pkt. Best thing I've ever done for myself. Next is my cosmetic surgery that I have my money already saved for.

My 27 yr old daughter is about 60 lbs overweight from prescription medications. I would consider looking into a loan to cover the band for her if she asked. I've seen her self esteem hit rock bottom. It's heartbreaking what body image does to us. It should be a personal choice. It should not be based on someone fitting "the criteria."

Yes, if your 3'5"!

I'm 5' 2.5" and was banded at 202 lbs three yrs ago. I've battled my weight all my life. Up and down from the time I lost 40 lbs my junior year in high school. I've been a size 5 and a 16 and everything in between. My surgeon called me a "lightweight." My insurance covered it with no out of pkt. Best thing I've ever done for myself. Next is my cosmetic surgery that I have my money already saved for.

My 27 yr old daughter is about 60 lbs overweight from prescription medications. I would consider looking into a loan to cover the band for her if she asked. I've seen her self esteem hit rock bottom. It's heartbreaking what body image does to us. It should be a personal choice. It should not be based on someone fitting "the criteria."

The limits are put in by insurance companies who are paying, they'll pay if its causing health problems(which in this case I actually agree). I believe anyone can have it if they're self pay. How many drs. do you know who would turn down $25000 for 45 min. of work?

I voted yes BECAUSE

I'm using me for example: I am 5'2 300lbs I want to get to weight around 140 once I get to 140 the band will still be in my body I can get it unfill once I hit my goal but let say I gain 10lbs now I'm 150lbs SHOULD I be denied a fill cause I'm not consider over weight anymore should I get back to 300 so I can get another fill

You make a good point, once you reach a "healthy" bmi does the insurance company stop coverage?

WOW, I'm really surprised by this poll. When I weighed in at my surgery I was 205.5. However, I am 4'9 and my BMI was 42, does that not qualify me for surgery? I disagree and so would my insurance company.

I hope you guys aren't getting mad...no one said I was against smaller people getting it, it's just a poll lol

This question is like asking why does someone let themselves get to over 400 lbs before deciding to do something about their weight? Does it matter how much over weight one allows themselves to get before opting to help themselves with wls. REALLY???? this question by even asking it , makes me think someone is judgemental.

With the input of responsible medical personnel, each person makes a choice based on her/his best interests. There is no magic number that makes the surgery acceptable or unacceptable. That a poll on the matter exists is distasteful.

I agree with Llyra and LeighaMason. Both good points but especially the one saying this poll is distasteful -because it has some bias built in.

I don't think the weight should play into it as much as BMI and other co-morbidities. I don't think a number should be placed on someone wanting to improve their health.