lower BMI question

[QuincyGirl 0]

I have a BMI of 38.4 and am wondering if I lose too much weight will I still be able to get the surgery? I have to do a 6 month diet with my PCP and I am presently at 220 lbs and if I get below 204 I will fall below the 35 BMI requirement. I feel bad about my weight and want to start losing but I know I can lose weight.......keeping it off is another story. Has anybody lost enough to fall below the 35 BMI mark and still able to get the surgery? I have Health Alliance insurance.:thumbup:

[Elisabethsew 50]

Make sure you check the requirements of your insurance carrier. Most want a BMI of 40 without a co-morbidity or a BMI of 35 with one or more co-morbidities.

[GmaDebi 0]

I fell below my what my ins. required during my 6 mos. supervised diet, but my Doctor,Nutritionist, and surgeon sent the insurance all the information showing where I started, and that they required me to loose weight, and they ok'd me.

[QuincyGirl 0]

So what co- morbitities qualifies? I dont have any of the standard ones that I am aware of, no high BP or no diabetes or heart problems. Family history is awful ( all sisters have had by pass surgery or stents and both parents died from heart disease). Does family history count that you are aware of?

[MacMadame 81]

Family history might help make your case, but they aren't technically co-morbidities. :drool:

But there are lots of co-morbidities. In addition to HP, diabetes and heart problems, there is high cholesterol, sleep apnea, and GERDs. If you snore, you might have sleep apnea. If you get heartburn a lot, you may have GERDs. Some WLS programs test everyone for these things because people don't realize they have them.

Plus some docs consider things like plantar fasciitis to be a co-morbidity because losing weight will help. Losing weight is also supposed to help with respiratory problems so if you have allergies or asthma, some doctors consider that as well.