Question:
Has anyone lost weight pre-op which caused their bmi to go below 35?

A question arose the other day regarding this and I wanted to know once you're approved for surgery, if you happen to lose any amount of weight that would bring your bmi below the required bmi of 35 + comorbidties, what happens? Will your surgeon still perform surgery?    — Belinda S. (posted on May 17, 2002)

May 18, 2002
If I could get my BMI below 35 without the surgery, then I wouldn't have had the surgery. In fact, I had to have a BMI over 40 to qualify. I had heard that if my BMI fell below 40, like to 38 or 39, after being approved by your insurance, you were still approved. I had gained a few lbs the last month waiting for my surgery and going out to eat so I didn't have that to worry about.
   — blank first name B.

May 18, 2002
Hi, usually , once your approved, if you do happen to lose some weight, it will not affect the surgery being performed. When I first went in for my initial consultation, I was weighed and that was what was used for my insurance approval. I was not weighed again, until the morning of surgery, and by the time the doctor look at my chart to see what I weighed in at, he was already to go. You shoulds talk to your surgeon, but if your surgery is appproved by your insurance, and you've been obese for a long time, I doubt you dropping some weight will matter. The problem with the obese and dropping weight is that we usually pick it right back up. Best of luck to you.
   — Carey N.