Low BMI and very skeptical and nervous

[Nanabanana2]

I am 40 year old , mother of 3 kids. I currently weight 178. i have been through all diet routes and very dissatisfied with my body. I planned my surgery for 2.16.18. i only need to lose 40 pounds. My fear is , what i dont want to lose more or i will look much older. Can you control your weight loss afterwards, can i stop losing weight if i want to. Please if anyone has done this surgery with a low BMI 35, i would appreciate your advice. I am super nervous. i am so convinced with the surgery but my fear is that i would get way too skinny and look bad. I want to reach 140 . Is it worth it?

[sraebaer]

Not sure who would do surgery on someone with only 40 pounds to lose. Oh, Mexico! (Just my opinion.). Good luck with your decision, but please research before jumping in.

[Dutchie]

I am not sure how to react to this.
I have never heard of someone undergoing this major surgery, just for appearances, without having weight related medical issues.
Have you also consireded an endoscopic procedure?
That is far less invasive and especially for people, who don't need to loose much.
https://health.ucsd.edu/specialties/...plication.aspx
Maybe that will suit you better.

[Ann2]

Nope. Don't do it. Not for 38 pounds.

Seriously -- you'll wind up losing 60-70-80 pounds. This is not a train you can pull the brakes on until IT is ready to stop.

The "magic" of WLS is NOT about losing weight, but about learning how to build a much healthier, new lifestyle after you lose all your excess weight to maintain at a healthy weight for the rest of your life.

I feel for you. But this scares me.

[bellahanna]

I have my surgery booked with Dr. Almanza on 2.20.18. I am the same age and same weight. Going thru endless diets and weight loss surgeries and yo yoing my weight for years, I decided to do it. Its better to do it when you have 40 lb to lose than years later when you have 140lb to take care of. Ive read many testimonials where patients wished to do it when they were on lower weight. Its very personal decision to make. I personally know many patients who did this surgery being on the lower BMI and all of them are doing and looking great. Again it's not a quick fix and it will require a discipline and hard work. But I totally support you and know how you feel Maybe I'll meet you there

[Luann]

Is the 40 pound weight loss goal a number that sounds good, or where you would be if you are no longer obese or overweight? BMI is solidly in the obese range, so wondering how that pans out to only needing to lose 40 pounds.

I wanted / needed to lose 50 pounds, but had a lot of comorbidities as well at that point. I was told I would lose about 70% of my excess weight and that is what it turned out to be. I only lost about 40 pounds, and am working harder now to drop the rest. I never got scary skinny, but then I had no big complications. It was a good decision for me, as my weight was interfering with my ability to exercise due to chronic pain in my back. Plus after a lifetime in dance, there is no way I could ever have faced walking back into a dance studio or gym at the size I was. That's vain I know, but that's the truth. Not all vanity, but that was a part of it.

Just be careful of the surgeon you pick, and do all the research you can. There are real risks with the surgery, as in any surgery.

[Christie13]

I had a hard time stopping my weight loss. I am in a "normal" BMI but look on the thin side. You can see my ribs and what not. I have done strength training to gain some bulk. If I didn't I would be even thinner. I understand how hard 40 lbs is to lose but it may be hard to stop your weight loss unless you fill up on junk food to keep your calories up. BUT...doing that will keep your calories up but you could end up with lots of vitamin deficiencies since you would be eating nutritionally void foods. It is a fine line. Wishing you success. No bashing or judging here. Just be aware that you will most likely end up much lower than 140.

[Stacey03]

This is a tricky question. I was actually a BMI of 31 when I had my surgery but i had already lost 40kg on my own and have had a life long problem with weight. I also had a really healthy lifestyle in place, running and crossfit and excellent eating habits. My weight wouldn't decrease to lower than a BMI of 31 despite that. I also had extremely high cholesterol and pre diabetes, despite the lifestyle.
I took a year to research and discuss with health professionals. My partner is a doctor so we don't take surgery lightly.

My advice to you (and you don't have to take it, drive your own bus) is to maybe put a really healthy lifestyle in place now. Exercise and healthy eating (don't eat anything with a barcode on) after all you will need to do this anyway after surgery. Because you have not mentioned ever being heavier than you are now I wonder if just doing this may clear that weight for you without surgery. If it doesn't you can then consider further. As Christie and Ann etc said, there is not a stop button and you must consider this carefully.

I'm not saying don't do it as every person is individual but it isn't a walk in the park. This is only my opinion and I wish you the very best of luck whatever your decision. Hang around on the board to ask questions and you will find out heaps about this surgery and lifestyle. There are people on here who have been aaround for quite a few years and can give very good advice. (That's not me, I'm early out, but I can encourage a healthy lifestyle at this stage you are at) Welcome :-)

[AnnieG]

This is a tricky question. I was actually a BMI of 31 when I had my surgery but i had already lost 40kg on my own and have had a life long problem with weight. I also had a really healthy lifestyle in place, running and crossfit and excellent eating habits. My weight wouldn't decrease to lower than a BMI of 31 despite that. I also had extremely high cholesterol and pre diabetes, despite the lifestyle.
I took a year to research and discuss with health professionals. My partner is a doctor so we don't take surgery lightly.

My advice to you (and you don't have to take it, drive your own bus) is to maybe put a really healthy lifestyle in place now. Exercise and healthy eating (don't eat anything with a barcode on) after all you will need to do this anyway after surgery. Because you have not mentioned ever being heavier than you are now I wonder if just doing this may clear that weight for you without surgery. If it doesn't you can then consider further. As Christie and Ann etc said, there is not a stop button and you must consider this carefully.

I'm not saying don't do it as every person is individual but it isn't a walk in the park. This is only my opinion and I wish you the very best of luck whatever your decision. Hang around on the board to ask questions and you will find out heaps about this surgery and lifestyle. There are people on here who have been aaround for quite a few years and can give very good advice. (That's not me, I'm early out, but I can encourage a healthy lifestyle at this stage you are at) Welcome :-)

My situation was like Edie's above. Except at 65 I'd lost on my own from 240 to 197 with lots of work. And I had a triple by pass open heart surgery that failed, leaving me with 24/7 angina; diabetes, NASH, sleep apnea, and the inability to lose another ounce. I consulted not just with my bariatric surgeon, but with my oncologist, my cardiologist, my neurologist and my GP (oh, and my gastro). I have had 4 kinds of cancers, and live with a benign (thanking God) brain tumor.

So for me, while appearance is a big plus, it literally was to save my life, and hopefully increase the quality of any years I have. ALL my "ologists" were toally onboard, based on current information about my health, my "headset" and their acquaintance professionally with my surgeon.

AS TO LOOKING OLDER -- weight loss that is sudden does change the appearance of your skin on your face and neck. I'm blessed with good genes in terms of skin, and have scarcely a wrinkle or neck "wattle" and I'm down 59 1/2 pounds since 10/5.

That said, the dr set a goal weight of 129 for me to hit 20% body fat. I'm at 140 this morning, so 11 more pounds. I am downright bony in some places, and have a lot of muscle rebuilding to do, slowly, to replace some body mass in a more healthy way.

I do not "cheat"; I do not "fudge"; I focus on the "me" of health and like Ann02 discloses in her journey to 4 years out, I see a counselor weekly.

I would agree you should adopt the habits of health prior to your surgery and also journal; journaling is great especially during times of change (like lettingmy hair go gray, or kids leaving home.

Ask yourself, is it your weight you are unhappy with, your health, or just your life in general.

Wishing you the best, wisest, happiest decision and journey, whatever it is.
Annie

[Nanabanana2]

I am having mine on the 16th maybe we will meet there

[simplyseahorse]

Are you self pay? Otherwise I wouldn't think that insurance would cover? Actually sure they wouldn't without BMI at overweight or obese with comorbidities - but hey, if you are having it, you are having it - so let us know how things go.