Spent hours researching and still no clear answer... help please

[ascott0322 2]

Hoping you all can help as I've tried calling the insurance company, my primary care and bariatric surgeon's office and haven't really gotten a clear answer.

Just some background....

I started my 3 month supervised diet on 10/31/2016. I weighed in at 255/6 (39.5 BMI). The nurses aid told me to not worry too much about the BMI (try not to gain too much or lose too much). They scheduled a sleep study to test for sleep apnea but I havent received the results back yet. I visited my primary care and she wrote a letter of approval and stated that I have a BMI of 39.21 (for some reason my height in her office is higher than the bariatric surgeon ). Im currently in Month 2 of the 3 months required nutritionist visits. I'll have to weigh in two more times in December then meet with surgeon at the end of December/beginning of January.

So enough babbling... my question is about insurance approval and BMI. I have a feeling that - although I snore like a hibernating bear after an orgy- i may not have sleep apnea. Why do I believe this to be the case? Well I heard that if I stopped breathing in my sleep that they would stop the sleep study and put on the CPAP machine. Although I woke myself up a few times either by snoring or just being crazy uncomfortable, I was never switched to a machine. My assumption is that I'm just a snorer.

If I do not have sleep apnea hence having no co morbidity, when do I need to hit the 40 BMI? Will they look at my starting weight and 39.5 BMI? If I gain, wont my insurance company deny me because I didnt lose on the supervised diet? Should i fluctuate my weight but make sure that I am 40 BMI at the time of my last weigh in? It sucks that I have to go through all of this over 2 lbs. Had I known about ankle weights, I would've definitely threw them on with a weighted vest and a big ole Dolly Parton wig just so my initial weigh in would be recorded as 40. Im just confused because I remembered by surgeon saying "do not go over your current weight"... sooo im puzzled. Lady, I need to be about 2 lbs heavier to get the surgery

Any help you all can give is greatly appreciated. Thank you all i advance!

SN: if I have sleep apnea... this whole book that I wrote is probably going to be a waste of time LOL

[heidikat72 935]

my sleep study came back indicating i hadsleep apnea - very mild but still able to be listed as a diagnosis of sleep apnea. and they definitely did not wake me up and put a CPAP on me during the study.

[ascott0322 2]

my sleep study came back indicating i hadsleep apnea - very mild but still able to be listed as a diagnosis of sleep apnea. and they definitely did not wake me up and put a CPAP on me during the study.

Thank you!

You have renewed my hope!!! (thats so sad that you have to hope to have a chronic condition in order to use insurance that you pay for every two weeks)

Its weird that for years my parents and I thought I had it but now that I tested, im on the fence. I have all of the signs (fatigue in the daytime, waking up multiple times a night, heavy snoring etc). Thanks again for your reply.

[erica2185 84]

I never in a million years thought I had sleep apnea!! I mean I snored a little and never quite get more the 4-6 hours of sleep I thought it was normal...it was not until I started the journey for surgery and per my insurance requirements got a sleep study and found out yes I do have sleep apnea!!! Now waiting on my cpap machine.... My bmi alone qualified me but now adding that to my list I'm pretty much guaranteed approval... The only time being fat worked in my favor lol.

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[theantichick 2,204]

They don't always stop the study, unless the apnea is severe. I had moderate apnea, and didn't find out for weeks after the study. Then I had to schedule another night at the sleep clinic for them to calibrate the CPAP. And another couple of weeks to get the machine ordered. If the apnea is not immediately life threatening, it can actually move quite slow.

[northstar9148 82]

I have mild sleep apnea. They said I have to wear the machine.

Iam confused. I thought if your sleep apnea was mild, that you didn't have to wear the machine and wait 6 weeks

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[paunchy 4]

I have mild apnea as well. They want me to wear it to help treat the condition and get better sleep. They didn't wake me up during my first study.

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[northstar9148 82]

I did the at home study. I have bigger breasts,so, it wasn't much fun. I got pretty tangled up and the thing that you clip on kept falling off. So, I don't know how accurate it was...

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[BubblesOhSoSleeved 129]

Hi, Im kind of late but do you know if other peope in your family have sleep Apnea?? Although I dont think I have it my bmi is over 40 but my mother had it which qualified her for her Sleeve. Also My entire family on that side of my family has sleep apnea, so you could use the surgery as a preventative...thats how I'm trying to get a first approval...although my bmi is over 40, diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea run on both my paternal side and maternal side...Good luck!!!

Edited November 25, 2016 by BubblesOhSoSleeved

[GoingRogue 53]

I was not woken during my study to have a CPAP put on. I did go back for a second sleep study where i wore a CPAP so they knew the pressure I needed.

sleep apnea is sleep apnea and it needs to be treated. Lack of sleep hurts your body in so many ways. It's hard on your heart, the lack of sleep means we are lazier, in other words heavier, etc, etc, etc.

[ascott0322 2]

Hi, Im kind of late but do you know if other peope in your family have sleep Apnea?? Although I dont think I have it my bmi is over 40 but my mother had it which qualified her for her Sleeve. Also My entire family on that side of my family has sleep apnea, so you could use the surgery as a preventative...thats how I'm trying to get a first approval...although my bmi is over 40, diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea run on both my paternal side and maternal side...Good luck!!!

thank you for this! even though im slioghtly under 40BMI im hoping the family history and possible sleep apnea will get me the approval. I still have two more nutrition classes to do this month so we'll see soon. Thanks again