Anyone else worry about this?

Morning everyone.

At one of the modules I attended one of the ladies there told me I was too small for surgery. I'm 5'1 and 235lbs, which gives me a BMI of about 44. So I am quite clearly in the criteria for surgery. I am a very slow loser and have never lost more that 2 lbs in a week.

I guess this woman made me really realize that we all start from a different place. I am just afraid that I might not be taken seriously at the clinic because I am not as heavy as other people going through the same program.

Anyone else have fears like this or similar?

I would really like to hear anyones story! I go to the clinic on Wednesday morning for the first time and I think all my insecurities are starting to surface.

Your BMI is too high....that's enough to qualify...my BMI now is 31...I was told before they "released" me from the clinic that they wanted my BMI no higher than a 35 for my height. (I am 5'3")..and if you have co morbidities...diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure..etc.

When I went in to the RAH and was waiting for the surgery, the nurse who put my IV in said "You don't look overweight enough for surgery"....little did she know that I had diabetes and high cholesterole and that I started the clinic at 278 lbs...

So there ya go...

Brenda

I have had the same worries in the past .

I started the program at 315 and I'm 5'2-- my BMI was 57.7
I'm now 245 with a BMI of 45 and even though I'm told by people how fantastic I look and hear the "ohh you don't need surgery" line on a regular basis, my experience with the clinic has changed my thinking.

As you progress through the clinic there is the chance that you will not be approved for surgery  .We all have different reasons for being there.. Weight Wise is adult weight management and surgery is not an option for all. You need to show your commitment to change above all.

For me-- I want the surgery as a tool to spur the next bunch of lbs I have to get through. If I am approved  that is. I meet with Dr. Birch on May 3.

Have faith Chance and just follow the team at the clinic! Ask questions and get all your feelings and concerns out in the open.

Hun..


         People need to understand that the clinic will decide with you. Not anyone else.. It's all about what is best for the individual.. Dont let what others say.. ( I know its hard) affect you..  I dont have H. Col, Or Diab, or Another factor that most people who are MO have but I could have. If I kept going down the road I was. I did what i did. I worked hard for what I did. And as you  Your doing the same.. Remember. Opinions are like Bu... Ho... Everyone Has One.. Just Not Eveyone Needs To Hear It.. Talk to the RN about your fears, ect. she or he is a great resource..


hugs

I'm teriffied of losing weight en then being told I can't have the surgery  cause my BMI is too low.

I weight in at the Hopsital yesturday at 273 and I am 5'6" I have a BMI of 44. If I lose 30-40 lbs before and during my consults with Dr. Farries I will be under 40. I am scared to death of him telling me NO your not big enough..lol I have Sleep Apnea, and high cholesterol and blood pressure even thought I am not taking any meds for this. I question it everyday if I should try to start to lose now  or wait until I see him in the fall. Will he think me motivated ??? AM I CRAZY???!!! Maybe...but I am a PRO and the Losing and Gaining Game, but I suck at maintaining the loss.

What should I do???? I totaly hear your fears Chance, I'm in that boat too.

Hi there,

I had VSG with Dr. Farries on Oct 7/09.  I was heavier than you and am only 5'4" but I also worried about losing before my 1st consultation.  Not becasue I thought my bmi would get too low to have the surgery but because I was worried that what I lost before I saw him wouldn't count in the program.   He wants to see you loose about 10% of your weight before he will do the surgery for you.  I was told that they only count what you lose while you are seeing him and I know that for me, the 1st 20 lbs or so come off fairly easy then I struggle.  I ended up waiting to try to lose untill I was in the program.  I don't think if your bmi goes bellow 40 after you start seeing him it will matter.  He wants to see that you are committed to making the changes needed in order to succeed.  I lost 35 lbs before surgery but there are some people that lose like 65 or 70!  The thing is, not only does the surgery help us loose but it helps us maintaine.  He knows that most of us will gain the weight back if we don't have the surgery so once he sees that you are committed there is no problem.  I never had a gain and all but 2 of my appointments were with the head nurse, Chris but I have heard that they aren't afraid to kick people out of the program if they don't take it seriously. 

If it were me (and it was about 110 lbs ago!) I would wait till you see him in the fall.  (One bad thing is I actually gained weight while waiting to see him).  You could always call the office and ask Chris what she thinks but as far as I know, they only count what they have recorded with their scale.  There is is support group that meets in the Red Deer hospital on the 3rd Wednesday of every month if you are interested.  Lots of  WLS "veterans" there, Chris heads up the meeting and there are usually lots of pre op and post op patients.

Good luck!

Don't worry so much about what other people say. Your family Dr. refered you to the clinic for a reason and if you didn't meet the criteria the clinic would haven't contacted you for an assessment.
I sometimes find it hard waiting in the waiting room because most time I am the smallest one out of everyone there. I am 240 and 5'4, my bmi is 44 also. I don't have high blood pressure or diabetis but I do have PCOS and a very low metablotic rate.  So I am classified in the stage 2 obesity level. There is a chart in the Dr. office where you can see this and I found it very informative.
Even though we are in the program it doesn't mean that we will ever have surgery and I find that scarey cause no matter what I do I can't seem to loose alot of weight and Dr. Sharma says its got to do with my low metaboltic rate, I will never been thin on my own.
Wednesday morning hold your head up and high and take a deep breath, it can be a very emotional roller coaster and lots of things are brought to the surface. Hang on tight cause you are in for the very best ride of your life. I stress alot about my upcoing appointment but once I'm there I'm so glad I went.
Good Luck girl, I'll be thinking of you.

Tell the lady there to p off!  don't you worry about her opinion, its between you and the doc.  I was 245 and 5'3"  I just had my surgery on the 30th Mar 2010.  I was told all the time, you don't need this you look fine blah blah blah.  Talk to your doc, that is all that counts.

Thank you all for reminding me of what I already know! I so appreciate the reminder.

I get so wrapped up in comparing myself to others, and I forget that my journey is absolutely, completely my own and has nothing to do with anyone else.

Thank you. GROUP HUG!

Thanks for the inside track on Dr. Farries, Marie.  So much to keep in mind.