Bea1128

Just wanted to let you know I also have UHC and no comorbidities and was approved in a week. During one of those years my BMI hovered close to the 35 mark and it evidently wasn't a problem. Good Luck!!

My surgeon's office just called and told me she got the insurance approval this morning! I can't believe it! My 15th wedding anniversary is at the end of next month, what a wonderful gift, for us both! I'm so ready to start living. They told me I would be a good candidate, but I never thought it would come so quickly. I've been so afraid to look ahead and didn't want to get my hopes up. I've been a nervous wreck! Now I can just get on with it! What a blessing!!

Thanks for all of your input! I just got insurance approval today, so I'll find out soon enough for myself!! :tongue: I'm so excited!

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, instead of an M.D. Both types of docs get degrees that have almost identical training, etc. Historically it has been their philosophy of care that has made D.O.'s different. I have usually prefered D.O.'s because they are willing to try other areas of treatment and not just go for the quick fix (not that all M.D.'s are looking for the quick fix, so please no one take offense to that. It's just my personal opinion). I have also had many excellent M.D.'s over the years. Basically, it's the kind of person they are and what kind of care they give rather that what kind of initials they have behind their name. As long as I'm getting the best care possible, that's really all that matters.

I'm still waiting on insurance approval and therefore have not told anyone, except of course my husband. I haven't told my mom because she's a worrier and the longer she has to worry, the angrier and more aggressive she'll become. I also think she'll be jealous of my weight loss. She had me when she was very young and we've always had this weird competitive thing going on. Right now she's smaller than me, but she's still obese. When she feels anxious or scared, she gets aggressive. By that I mean she will try to come up with any and every reason why I shouldn't do this. "What if I die on the table?", "What if I can't ever eat again?". So my answer is always, "mom, what if I twist my ankle and fall into the street and get run over?". The more anxious she gets the more ridiculous her reasons will become. (Never mind the fact that she tells me on a weekly basis how worried she is about my health because of my obesity.) I had to have my gallbladder out years ago because I had gallstones and when she found out my doctor was a D.O., she told me "I hope you’re happy, he's just going to let you die". (She has an irrational problem with D.O.'s) She came up with all sorts of reasons to be mad at me and made my life hell while trying to recover. So, the moral to that long, boring story is this: You have to manage your family and your situation to the best of your ability. I know I'll catch hell when she finds out (my surgeon is a D.O.! :teeth_smile:), but I'm taking steps to make sure she doesn't have very long to make me feel bad about my decision. It won’t matter to her that I’ve thought about this for a year, I’ve done my research, I’ve read books, and I’ve talked to people who have had it done. I'm having it done whether she likes it or not. I have to do this for myself and to make sure I'm around for a long time for my kids. Also, she is my mom and I love her. She has a lot of good qualities too, she's a great grandmother to my children. I know how she is and love her anyway. I do what I can to lessen her anxiety so I can keep my sanity. :crying: I was accused of being dishonest a few days ago by another poster because I wasn't planning on shouting my decision from the nearest rooftop. Everyone has different feelings about this and in my opinion it's a very personal one. Our attitudes and feelings are shaped, not only by genetics but by past experiences. You have to do what you have to do for yourself and for your own reasons! Good luck to you and I hope you find peace and happiness with your decision.

Hello! I am in the process of getting insurance approval, etc. I have a friend who had this done about a year ago. She still finds it difficult to eat salad and some raw veggies. I was wondering if this was an individual problem or is it something that most experience? I was wondering about raw fruit also? Please share. Thanks.

I have girls too. I don't want them to think this is an option down the road and therefore they don't need to eat healthfully. My oldest has the potential to have a weight problem like me, but my youngest is rail thin. We don't say the "f - word" or "s-word" in my house either. Both have negative body connotations. I also don't want them to think I'm doing this for vanity. It's about my health and about being around as long as I can. And also due to the fact that I'm miserable and don't want to live like this any more. I will tell them something, but I'm not sure what yet. I might sit down with my oldest and get closer to the truth than I will with my youngest. I've been fighting this my whole life and like many of you have fought and fought and fought. I just need help and I'm finally asking for it. That was extremely hard for me. As for my friends and family, I'm not sure who I'm going to tell. I really don't want to have to talk about this over and over again, but I have many friends who are trying to loose weight as well. If I end up loosing more than them, I don't want them to feel bad about themselves. Then if I don't tell them and they find out, they're going to be upset. I just don't want to have to explain myself constantly. I plan on talking about all of this during my psych eval, but it's really been bothering me. I'm excited and want to talk to someone, but at the same time, I don't want everyone at church to know either. I know there are a lot of people who won't understand and will think I'm taking the "easy way out". Unless you've been really, seriously overweight, I don't think you can even begin to comprehend the struggle that I've been through my whole life. I'm sure many of you can understand what I'm talking about. I want to just tell everyone I'm "cutting back" and exercising, but somehow that feels like a lie. I don't lie well. At what point can I be selfish and just keep it to myself? :thumbup: