Is this a surgery I can do? BMI 36

I have struggled with my weight since I was 11.   Diets and then regain. Diets and regain. Tried everything and I still end up gaining back after I lose- the same 30lbs. Never getting thin. Never getting anywhere near a normal weight BMI. 

I am scheduled for a Gastric Sleeve on October 30 2014 and have been doing alot of soul searching- as I am sure you guys have done too - to really think about this and the post surgery life. And my own lifestyle.  I've come to see by my journaling food that I am not really a volume eater.  I am a poor eater. When I am "off plan" I eat anything I want but sugar is a theme. As are carbs.  Time of day. I usually dont eat much all day- maybe nothing- until around 4 or 5. I've obviously put my body into some sort of metabolic sludge over the years that screwed it up .  I also have lymphedema- in my leg. Makes life a challenge. Clothes buying and shoe buying a tearful experience every time.

I have to get this under control which is why I made the decision to get a surgery and I wish I had done it when I was 18 and saved myself the heartbreak of being fat in society. Love, jobs, health, friends, it's all been affected by my weight.

I currently weigh about 212 and I am 5'4.  I would like to get the DS. It's the most loved surgery I see out there. I see alot of revisions to DS. People with less wieght to lose than their initial high weight loss with their other surgeries.

Can I get it for my weight? Is it an option for me? I really feel stuck. If I weighed more I'd have so many more options. Do I want to gain 50 lbs to get the surgery of my choice? No.  But can I get DS? Would like to hear from the lower weight DS'ers on here thank you.

The DS is a standard of care bariatric surgery for anyone who qualifies medically for bariatric surgery, including "lightweights" like you. It has the best statistics of any bariatric surgery for percentage excess weight loss, for maintenance of that weight loss, and for resolution of almost all comorbidities.

You didn't mention any of the usual comorbidities, though. Most insurers won't pay for any bariatric surgery for someone with a bmi below 40 unless you have at least one comorbidity, at which point you qualify if your bmi is over 35. Also, some surgeons won't offer a DS to people with a lower bmi, though IMHO there is no medical reason for this.

So, you will need to review your insurance EOC (evidence of coverage) to see what's covered and what isn't, and also need to get yourself to the right surgeon. If you are self-pay, that opens up other options for you, esp if you are willing to travel.

I was not a lightweight so can't speak from personal experience on that point. What I can say is that I had the DS over 8 years ago and have absolutely no regrets.

Larra

You can get the DS but as Larra said, you may have more research to do to find the right surgeon, etc. I started at 36.8 BMI and found a surgeon near DC that thinks the DS is the bazooka of WLSs. I'm a terrible grazer and that along with 5 comorbidities sold him. No regrets.

--gina 

Hi, can you talk to me about what it's been like for you the good bad and the ugly?  i want to know from a real person because i read a lot of differing things on it.

I didn't have any complications post-op, I follow Vitalady's vitamin program and tweak as my labs come in, and I still drink protein shakes every day. Lately I've found an excellent probiotic to overcome gas issues and that is prescription VSL#3 DS. I take 2 - 1/2 teaspoons of the powder mixed in something cool like a protein shake or salad daily. I try to stay pretty low carb and don't eat starches or grains much.
I didn't lose too much as a lightweight. My weight loss stopped when I was about mid way into the normal BMI range and it took 11 months. I've had some bounce back weight gain around 3 to 5 pounds and a little regain of about 5 pounds, I'm still around 8 pounds over my very lowest weight at 7 years post-op.

--gina

Mine was 39 and I have no regrets.  I was insulin dependent, high bp, cholesterol but I had to fight Kaiser to get my DS.  Could I have kept my weight off w/o the switch part, probably not.

Hi thank you for your response. Can you tell me about what it's been like for you? The good, bad and ugly? 

The good, is I only take a prescription for Potassium and my edema now instead of 5-8 prescriptions daily.  I do take several vitamins daily, but my body doesn't have side effects from the vitamins.  Also, as long as I'm eating high protein and fat, I maintain my weight loss  easily.  It's when I start letting the sugar ***** out and allow the carb monster loose, that it makes it a bit more difficult.

The bad - certain foods are now on my avoid or suffer list.  Onions, broccoli, most breads, some other root veggies cause severe bloating and gas.  If I'm going home after a dinner, I may choose to enjoy a dinner roll with lots of butter, a few veggies with my protein. 

The ugly - I still have several BMs daily, but had that before my DS, it's my body.  I have problems with probiotics which could help with the gas, but I generate more gas with the probiotics.  My body does end up with bad bacteria in my guts, and I use Flagyl every 3-4 weeks to bring it under control.  I've done elimination diets and figuring out that sugar alcohols are the devil's spawn so no sugar free stuff for me, and adding whey to my lactose intolerance changes what protein shakes/bars that I can tolerate, means that I eat a lot of meat.

Remember that our BMs for DSers are on a bell curve, some have 1 or 2 on the one side, others 8-12+ daily.  Some folks deal with constipation others with diarrhea.  Chia seeds help with my diarrhea.  I'm 6 years out and have no regrets.

I had most of the bad side effects from the prescriptions that I took for diabetes, cholesterol, bp etc - and I had the bowel issues back before the prescriptions.  I'd rather deal with more frequent trips to the bathroom, than inject insulin every night and struggle with my weight.

HTH.

I was 213 and 5" 5'. I was a revision from band to DS. I had yoyo'd my entire life. I paid cash so I didn't have to worry about insurance approval. The hardest part for me is stinky poo and horrific gas but if I stay away from carbs the gas is non existent. I now weigh 116 but that is because I became very sick with a totally unrelated illness. I'm very happy with my DS.

What did you become sick with if I can ask?  I am not sure all unrelated, are necessarily unrelated after you change your nutrient absorbtion ability.