New member!...but SOO dissapointed..

[mariemg 0]

Hello everyone! This is such a great place to come and feel at home, if you will. Today though, I am down and out. Here's my story and maybe you guys have some opinions that will help?

I'm 26 years old (female) and live in Anchorage. I've been wanting the band for quite awhile now, so I started the 6 month supervised diet plan with a family clinic I go to. I am just past month 3 now and today I had my first visit with the surgeon at his office. Here's the breakdown of weight from the beginning,

first day of 6 month diet- 236

one month in- 233

two months in- 230

three months in- 233

which brings me to today where I weighed 239 at the surgeons office. He meets me and everything and then looks at my chart and says that my BMI is only 39 which disqualifies me because I have no other comorbities like diabetes or sleep apnea. He told me to come back in a year!!! I was furious to say the least. I am right on the cusp and I think I do have sleep apnea, I guess I'll have to pay to get that diagnosed? The other thing is that I have high cholestoral but I'm not on medicine for it but my family doc will give it to me if I wish. So the main story here is that I'm right on the ledge of being qualified and unless I gain like 5 more pounds in 3 more months, I'm pretty screwed....and gaining weight wouldnt look too good to my family doctor, when im suppose to be on a diet losing weight.

today is a sad day :-(

anyone else ever been in a similar situation?!?! I desperately need ADVICE!!!!!

[Lisa1967 0]

You should go and have a sleep study done to see if you do have sleep apnea. If they diagnose you with that, you should have no problems. I would find out asap. Sleep Apnea is very serious and I know of many that have died from the disease.

[overthemoon00 1]

find another surgeon.... there are plenty of people who have the lap band with LOWER BMIs than you have... Good Luck!

[Grider 92]

Hello everyone! This is such a great place to come and feel at home, if you will. Today though, I am down and out. Here's my story and maybe you guys have some opinions that will help?

I'm 26 years old (female) and live in Anchorage. I've been wanting the band for quite awhile now, so I started the 6 month supervised diet plan with a family clinic I go to. I am just past month 3 now and today I had my first visit with the surgeon at his office. Here's the breakdown of weight from the beginning,

first day of 6 month diet- 236

one month in- 233

two months in- 230

three months in- 233

which brings me to today where I weighed 239 at the surgeons office. He meets me and everything and then looks at my chart and says that my BMI is only 39 which disqualifies me because I have no other comorbities like diabetes or sleep apnea. He told me to come back in a year!!! I was furious to say the least. I am right on the cusp and I think I do have sleep apnea, I guess I'll have to pay to get that diagnosed? The other thing is that I have high cholestoral but I'm not on medicine for it but my family doc will give it to me if I wish. So the main story here is that I'm right on the ledge of being qualified and unless I gain like 5 more pounds in 3 more months, I'm pretty screwed....and gaining weight wouldnt look too good to my family doctor, when im suppose to be on a diet losing weight.

today is a sad day :-(

anyone else ever been in a similar situation?!?! I desperately need ADVICE!!!!!

I handle my PB and prediabetes with out medicine BUT my PCP writes it down on my chart... that's all you need! not how it is treated. Talk to your PCP, he has to check you out and see if you have GERD or whatever, Good luck

[sparkplug 106]

Hello everyone! This is such a great place to come and feel at home, if you will. Today though, I am down and out. Here's my story and maybe you guys have some opinions that will help?

I'm 26 years old (female) and live in Anchorage. I've been wanting the band for quite awhile now, so I started the 6 month supervised diet plan with a family clinic I go to. I am just past month 3 now and today I had my first visit with the surgeon at his office. Here's the breakdown of weight from the beginning,

first day of 6 month diet- 236

one month in- 233

two months in- 230

three months in- 233

which brings me to today where I weighed 239 at the surgeons office. He meets me and everything and then looks at my chart and says that my BMI is only 39 which disqualifies me because I have no other comorbities like diabetes or sleep apnea. He told me to come back in a year!!! I was furious to say the least. I am right on the cusp and I think I do have sleep apnea, I guess I'll have to pay to get that diagnosed? The other thing is that I have high cholestoral but I'm not on medicine for it but my family doc will give it to me if I wish. So the main story here is that I'm right on the ledge of being qualified and unless I gain like 5 more pounds in 3 more months, I'm pretty screwed....and gaining weight wouldnt look too good to my family doctor, when im suppose to be on a diet losing weight.

today is a sad day :-(

anyone else ever been in a similar situation?!?! I desperately need ADVICE!!!!!

I was in a similar situation, but had great doctors. I was 235 pounds at 5'4 1/2 and was borderline diabetic, I am 58 yrs old, high bp, high cholesterol and horrible knee and feet problems. When I got refused the first two times, a great Dr. tha backed me up started by putting me down as 5'4 and 235 pd and told me to hit every buffet in town when they approved me the third time. The surgery was scheduled fast and I had only 2 weeks and he said to not lose a single pound in that time or they would cancel the surgery. Of course I had to do the psych eval and blood work and etc., but he was there every step of the way and thank God he understood what I have been going through for 40 years of yo yo dieting and getting fat every time in the end. Here I am now at a size 10 to goal losing 90 pound (I have gained 5 pd that I cannot get off) and off all meds. You need to find a compassionate Dr. that knows you have tried this battle for a long time and things do not get better if you don't get that weight off, they get worse.Everybody had me taller than I really was and a half inch makes a little difference in those crazy charts.

[saints=love 1]

hello I really identify with your situation I started my journey a year ago yeah last September! well my weight stayed at 210-220 so after being denied 4 times even having my appeal denied! so I said you know what ihave to do what I have to do to get my surgery.I went against my rules and better judgment gained weight maintained it till I was finally aporoved. im 5'5 so my weight needed to be 240 so I got up to about 235 felt miserable. Strapped on a 5 pound weight ate a healthy meal put my keys and phone in my pocket wore layers. lol iknow it sounds crazy but I was finally approved in July.

[saints=love 1]

Also I had no comorbidities

[Rachel412 116]

Sounds like your BMI was under 40 when you walked in the door on the first day. There's no way they should have wasted your time, I'm so sorry.

[Losing_It150 6]

I handle my PB and prediabetes with out medicine BUT my PCP writes it down on my chart... that's all you need! not how it is treated. Talk to your PCP, he has to check you out and see if you have GERD or whatever, Good luck

Hi Grider, I see we have the same surgeon....Dr Aguila is banding me on Thursday....I'm so ready to get the show on the road!

[Liza<3 1]

I say eat and gain the weight that u need to be approved...u will lose it at the end.... I paid out of pocket just seemed easier....

[katwomantexas 2]

I was 2 pounds from being at a BMI of 35. I also had HBP and high colestrol. So I had to gain 3 pounds and go back in 2 weeeks.Thats what I did to get my surgery. Yes its crazy we have to do these things but I did not have the money to pay out of pocket.Was it worth it? Yes and Yes. Good luck Kat

[mariemg 0]

Thanks everyone for the great advice! Much appreciated. I think I will just have to gain another 7 to 8 pounds so I will be at 40 BMI, along with finding another surgeon. The only problem will be trying to explain to my family doc who is doing my 6 month supervised diet why I am gaining weight :-/

We'll see how that goes!

[NJGirl32 43]

What about sticking some metal weights in your bra-seriously! Why should you have to gain 5 pounds! There's got to be a way to weigh yourself down!

I agree with the others that he wasted your time and then told you to wait a year=I'd find another doctor or get another evaluation done. Have to spoken to our primary doc? Would be be willing to verify your health issues?

[tracey1964 0]

i have health insurance ,,mbf and i live in Australia so could this happen to me?? my BMI is 39 and i was told it had to be over 37 ?? but if im in mbf and paying some of the cost then what could happen to me ?? cos if i go on the liquid diet them im sure to go under the 37 ?? and if they say no i will be realy pissed off ??

[pinklily27 61]

i have health insurance ,,mbf and i live in Australia so could this happen to me?? my BMI is 39 and i was told it had to be over 37 ?? but if im in mbf and paying some of the cost then what could happen to me ?? cos if i go on the liquid diet them im sure to go under the 37 ?? and if they say no i will be realy pissed off ??

If I were you, I would ask my surgeon that very question!