Hi from Canberra

Hi Nicole,
thanks so much for sharing your story with me. Every post I get makes me feel so much better!
Cheers,
Amanda

hi amanda,

I was also at the lower end of the scale for my BMI but i still believe that it was high enough. I wwent to see my dr and just talked about the battle i had had keeping my weight low.....you know the up down then back up again....on the roller coaster. I didnt really have any other health issues apart from my back and my knees being sore and he was still happy to do it for me.

I had my op 8 weeks ago and i have lost 20.5kg all up (with opti stage)

Nicole

Hi Amanda & again welcome as youv'e probably realised that this journey isn't just bout weight loss it's about the long term solution to our problem. Most of us have been at the "desireable" weight range before due to hard work & diet but for one reason or another it's crept back & this in it's self is unhealthy if not dangerous leading to further co-morbidity's. Youv'e realised this & had the courage to say that's it & seek this solution as youv'e just made the decision that will give you back your future good health. As for telling people about it my journey has been almost totally positive & supportive from friends,family & work collegues in fact I know that several of them have decided to take similar steps in thier own lives & to seek thier own solutions.

Hi Sam, Steph and Em and everyone else!
thanks so much for your support. It really helps. This is such a major thing and, like most of you, I have only told my husband and my daughter. I think there is still a bit of a stigma attached to weight loss surgery. And sometimes I latch on to that and feel a bit of a failure that I can't lose weight and maintain that loss the 'normal' way. But facts must be faced and I have been trying so hard my whole life and here I am over 93kg and rising (yet again). I just can't face that rollercoaster yet again.
It is also very comforting to know that doctors are doing lower BMI's, especially with obesity related health risks (thanks Steph!), as I have been losing quite a bit of sleep worrying if I will be big enough. Oh the irony!
I love the warmth and support from members of this forum. I don't feel so alone any more!
Amanda

Hi Ferrett,

Welcome to the forum. My BMI was considered borderline when I went to see my surgeon. I have a friend who is booked in for the sleeve next month and she also has a low BMI however if you have other health issues the surgeon wont even consider not doing the op. Good luck.

steph

Hi Sam,

I understand where you are coming from. I only told 4 people in my life and only 1 member of my family. My mum and sisters don't even know....... still. I didn't want opinions of others either especially as I knew some of them wouldn't be welcomed anyway. I have my family on this forum and I can share my trials and tribulations on here without being judged.

Good luck on your journey.

steph

Hi Ferret

My BMI is a tad lower than usual for these ops, but after chatting to the doc about a lifelong battle with weight and reassuring him I wasn't after a quick fix for a small problem, he's happy to do the op. He gave me stats that surprisingly show that the low BMI folk actually lose quicker for the first few months. I kinda thought that it would move faster on someone who had more to lose but it seems it's not the case. I'm 46 and so excited about what is to come.

Doc sent me away and said not to bother losing anything before the op but I'm doing a gentle half a kilo a week loss coz I want to be as fit as a fiddle for a quick recovery. I think he muttered something about not dropping below BMI 31 - which is about 93kg for me. I've told nobody at all about my op apart from my hubby. I've gone through it all in my mind, explained it all to him and that's that. I don't want anybody else's opinion :-)

Oh wait, I've told 145 users on this forum - and it's been nice to share with like minded folk. There's so much info here :-)

Hi Amanda
Yes, that's crazy - the more you put on now, the more you'll have to take off. And it won't really affect your BMI before your appointment, either! LOL
Good luck on Tuesday, and yes, you're right - it's your body and you just need to do what's right for yourself.
Chris

Thanks Chris. I think you may be right. She is definitely a worrier where I am concerned. But I suppose the thing to remember is it is my body-and it is up to me to do what I think is right. I will let you know how I go with Dr J on Tuesday. I am really nervous but really looking forward to it! The weird thing is that I feel like I have to eat like crazy between now and then to get my BMI up as high as possible-totally crazy!
Amanda

Sounds like she's just worried for you - and maybe she's projecting something of her own difficulties too?
After all, it's still early days for her, and she's still adjusting.
Try not to let her ruin it for you - I'm sure she'll be your strongest support once she's used to the idea.
Chris

Hi Chris,
thanks for those supportive words. I have just come back from my GP-my BP is way up so I don't think there is any question about the op not being a good idea. I think I will cope with the food issue OK. Everything worth doing takes some adjustment after all. I think maybe it is a matter of my daughter, for whatever reason, not being very supportive. She is usually great but about this issue she is extremely negative. It has been wonderful for her, I wonder why she doesn't think it would be wonderful for me?
Cheers,
Amanda

Hi ferret42 and welcome
I was going to tell you that there's someone else from Canberra on the forum, but that's probably your daughter!
I'm 51 and just got sleeved 8 weeks ago. My BMI was huge, though. There is someone else on the forum who was afraid they'd be knocked back for a low BMI, but I don't think that's happened.
I was afraid, too, about how I'd cope without food, but I've found that it's been a lot easier than I expected.
I haven't heard of anyone who's lost too much weight - it seems to level out pretty well.
But talk to your doc about your fears - I'm sure that he'll be able to ease your mind.
He's very nice - I saw him once while I was in hospital, while he was covering for my doc.
Best wishes
Chris

Hi everyone! I am 46 (nearly 47) and live in Canberra. My daughter was 'sleeved' by Dr Jorgensen in Kogarah about 10 weeks ago and has lost a massive 20 kgs (some of that from the Optifast pre surgery). I have battled with my weight all my life. I have achieved thinness after much struggle and kept the weight off for a year or two and then it just comes right back on. I am currently around 90kgs and have reached the stage where I can't cope with the idea of yet another losing battle. I am booked in to see Dr Jorgensen next week. I know my BMI isn't right up there but if I keep on going as I am it certainly will be very soon due to the horrible compulsive eating-feeling fat and hopeless-compulsive eating cycle. I am worried that I won't be considered obese enough (what a horrible irony!), that at my age I will lose too much weight (ditto!) and look old and scraggy and my daughter is concerned that after a lifetime loving food and relying on it for comfort that I will be terribly depressed post surgery. I think that it would be such a relief not to have to face a future of overeating and feeling terrible physically and mentally that the positives outwiegh the negatives by a mile. Is there anyone out there who has been in a similar situation i.e not a very high BMI and late 40s female when sleeved? I would love to hear other people's experiences.