the journey begins

[mina 27]

i've been obese all my life and tried multiple diets. In medical school i had my greatest weight lost with strict calorie count (i had lost 70 lbs with it), that was the first time i started dieting. my fourth year of medical school, i gained the weight back relatively fast after my diet routine got interupted, i was away from home and my scale (lol) and was wearing scrubs for 2 months so i did not realized i gained a whopping 30 lbs. since then it has been a losing battle for me and was getting frustrated. two years ago i decided i wanted the sleeve but my insurance did not pay for it. now my insurance covers bariatric surgery.

i went to the surgeon for consult 1/19 base on BMI i qualify for surgery 40 (5'6, weighed 248). my insurance BC/BS of tenn. requires that i lose 10% of my body weight. they don't routinely cover the sleeve but i'm hoping since i have documented anemia i can get it approve. i started my diet 1/31 i had to lose 25 lbs and now i only have 8 lbs to lose.

i have my psych eval tomm.

i have been pretty open about telling people except for my parents (they would freak out so i'm stressing over this). some people feel like i'm "not that big to need surgery" "you taking the easy way out, all you need to do is eat right and exercise" and some have been very supportive. I've made up my mind.

of course i'm nervous about surgery, never had any surgeries except for dental. after i lose the 25 pounds my bmi will not be 40, is the insurance going to denie the claim? will they approve the sleeve?

i'll keep you guys posted

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[meggiep 57]

It may differr for your company but my doctor said that the weight you record on first visit is what will determine it. Surely they should not penalize you for doing what they asked!

[Douceur72 3]

Hopefully your insurance company can clarify which weight qualifies, they seem to have different requirements. At my first weigh in I landed right at BMI 40, and was told by the nurse navigator that I would still need to be 40 five months later (the last weigh in before surgery) to qualify. So basically I'm going to the nut classes as a poser. Frustrating because as I get pumped for surgery I'd like to begin the process of losing weight...I'm starting to mentally disengage from food and would like to begin some cardio. But I'm afraid to lose! After a lifetime weight struggle it sounds ridiculous to even say that. And to avoid losing I've apparently gone a little overboard...at my weight in last week I had gained.

[mina 27]

i called my insurance company (i have bc/bs) but they did not have a clear answer for me. i don't have any medical problems which i am so happy for (i come from a family of hypertensives and diabetes). i don't want to wait till i have more problems. i have the opportunity now and i want to seize it. i'm about to turn 34 in april and want to be a healthier me. I have 3 more pounds to lose then i'll see my primary care and get her to fill out my paperwork and i guess i will find out then. thanks guys for your responses

[mina 27]

It may differr for your company but my doctor said that the weight you record on first visit is what will determine it. Surely they should not penalize you for doing what they asked!

that's good to hear and i feel the same way but insurance companies will do whatever they have to do not spend money. it's frustrating, trying to get documentation for weight for at least 5 years (i'm awful about going the doctors) unfortunately my bmi is usually 39.9,obese enough to be unhealthy but not enough to satisfy the insurance companies.