BMI/Weight at Surgery

I am 17 months out from having RNY. I'm down 96 pounds (273 - 177) and although I had hit a low of 162 pounds in March, I bounced back up and have been sitting at 177 for the last 5 months.

I'm looking at getting plastic surgery but my big problem is that my BMI is still high (I'm 5'4"). One surgeon won't even see me until my BMI is under 29 and another said he'd do the surgery but that the results would look better if I lost 10-20 pounds.

I'm just curious what your BMI was when you had surgery. I'm looking at having a full tummy tuck, mons lift, and ideally a breast lift and augmentation.

Thanks in advance.

My bmi was 34 but my weight had been stable for over a year. I didn't see it going any lower any time soon. Shop around, there's gotta be someone who will do it if you are ready.

Mine was 25.6.  I weigh 156 and was 5'5".  My PS told me same thing that he wont do anyone who does not have a BMI under 29.  He said the results would not be as good as you would want them and he would not want to disappoint the patient.

Mine was 22.3 when I had surgery last month. I am 5'4 too and weighed 129 the day of surgery.. I personally would recommend you lose everything you can so you maximize your results. Too big enough of a financial investment not to try and get the best result possible. Sure you ca probably find a PS who would take your money but you want a PS who is looking to give you the best result not just tell you what you want to hear!

Mine was 23 when I had surgery last month. I am 5'4 too and weighed 136 the day of surgery.  As long as you are done losing, (seems like you are stable) get a consult with a few PSs that don't have a BMI requirement.

My highest weight was 270 (but my height is 5ft) and although I lost I have never gotten to a normal BMI yet and that was after having a TT and BL a year apart.
Some of it is Judy numbers and we are more than just numbers on a scale! That is not to say that you should not lose more weight if you can but rather that I as one who has not lost all my excess weight, can totally understand where you are coming from.
Try to go for other consults with more openminded PS that look at all of you and not just your BMI as if you are only a number. You are also a person.
Mikimi in Israel

My BMI was 22 when I had plastics. I had been maintaining my weight for over 2 years at that point and still am. Maintaining is the key in my not-so-humble opinion. Plastics are too expensive to mess up the results with a fluctuation in weight.

You are still early out. Try to get to your goal weight before proceeding with plastics. I read somewhere that your goal weight should be something you can easily maintain while living the kind of life you want to lead. It does not need to be a certain BMI. Do what makes you feel good physically and mentally.

Good luck.

Thank you for all your responses. It seems like most of you were in the "normal" range of  a BMI and based on pictures I've seen online the better looking results are with those in the normal range.

It is a hard decision because right now I know I can maintain this weight for the rest of my life. I am exercising a reasonable amount and eating how I think I can eat for the rest of my life.

If you were reading between the lines of my first post I haven't lost anything since February which is such a dissapointment. I hate how my front looks but I really don't see myself being able to lose the last 32 pounds. Even when I type it out is seems like such a small amount but such a struggle.

Thanks gals :)

 

I had a lower body lift with liposuction to the outer thighs last October. I am 5'10 and going into surgery I weighed about 250lbs (BMI of 36). I was 2 years out from surgery, had lost 160 lbs from my highest weight, and had been at a steady weight for about 10 months. My surgeon removed about 25 lbs during the LBL, and you can see my before and afters on my profile if you like.

I think just as some patients have unrealistic expectations of what plastic surgery can do, a lot of doctors who are not bariatric surgeons have unrealistic expectations of weight loss surgery. Not everyone that has WLS will end up in a normal BMI range. I worked as hard as I could, but after a certain point, it is what it is...

I had four in person consults and two by email, all with plastic surgeons who had a great deal of experience in working with massive weight loss patients. After reviewing my personal medical history and body composition, not one doctor told me I wasn't a good candidate for a tummy tuck or any upper body work at that time, even with a BMI of 36. Opinions on how to handle the extra skin on my outer and inner thighs varied more between doctors, since that is where I carried the majority of my remaining excess weight.

Good luck!

Angela

The rate of post op complications is much higher when your BMI is greater than 30.  Your results do suffer and the chance of having an open wound is very high.  I staged my plastics due to mobility issues after losing 270 pounds.  My result did suffer because I went on to lose more - I knew I would and I did the first round to help with health problems related to my excess skin.