Posts Tagged ‘bmi calculator’
Who Can’t Get Lap Band?
If you are considering lap band surgery, then you need to make sure you meet the requirements. Now you might be thinking, “But I am overweight and I can’t seem to lose it.” Although that might be true, there is a reason why there are certain standards in place to ensure that the right people are getting the surgery. If everyone who was a little overweight were permitted to get this surgery, then there would be no physical fitness in daily lives and there would be no dieting. This could be detrimental to health.
So what are the requirements for lap band surgery?
• Your body mass index (BMI) has to be above 40. It can be as low as 35 if there are obesity-related health conditions.
• You must weight twice what you should weigh. You can also be around 100 pounds overweight. There are some doctors who will perform the procedure if an individual is 50 pounds overweight, but this must be approached with caution.
• You have to be older than 18 but no older than 60. The only time that there is an exception to this rule is if there is a health issue that exists that would be improved if the surgery were performed.
• Your weight problem must have existed for at least 5 years. If you have been overweight for 4 years, then you do not qualify. You may be asked to submit some sort of proof such as a photograph that is 5 years old. This is rare, but be prepared.
• You’ve tried diet and exercise but have been unable to take off the weight. Simply doing a diet for a week is not going to qualify as trying. You must have made a serious effort to lose weight and not had any success with it.
• Your weight problem cannot be caused by a health condition. This is because there are risks associated with certain health conditions. There is also the fact that the surgery could be ineffective or be effective and the weight comes back.
• You can’t be a person who drinks a lot of alcohol. Alcohol doesn’t have to be completely eliminated, but the doctor will limit the amount and will more or less limit you to red wine.
• You have to be willing to make a commitment to do everything that is required of you to ensure the weight comes off and stays off. This means eating the diet you are told to eat and exercising on a regular basis.
• You must be willing to be monitored by your doctor. This means sticking with your regular appointments. This is something you must agree to before the surgery is ever performed.
So there you have the requirements behind getting lap band surgery. If you meet these requirements, then you can have the surgery. If you don’t meet them, you cannot have the surgery.
If you cannot, simply look at those things that you can change. If the things that are keeping you from having the surgery are fixable, fix them. Now this doesn’t mean gaining another 50 pounds so that you can have the surgery. This means being willing to make lifestyle changes, being willing to see your doctor on a regular basis, and limiting alcohol consumption.
If you’re not 18, have been obese for 4 ½ years, or there is another issue standing in your way, that’s when you play the waiting game. But in the meantime, try to do what you can to take the weight off. If it still doesn’t come off, then lap band surgery is a great option for you.
Tags: bmi, bmi calculator, body mass index, lap band, lap band surgery