TexasMommy80

Definitely no sleep apnea, in fact I am super healthy except for severe osteoarthritis.

Good idea! I know I have arthritis in my “good” knee too, so between the two, this surgery would help a lot. Not to mention, I need my TKR to last as long as possible because I am only 37 and you should only have two in a lifetime.

I had my first phone appointment today and my patient advocate was great. He did warn me though that Cigna does not list joint replacement/joint disease as a comorbidity to qualify at a lower BMI, but they do list “other”, so it may be one that they accept. I found a document online where they specifically list joint replacement/joint disease as qualifying, but it’s not the document that the clinic has in regards to Cigna qualifications. Anyhow, he recommended still going through the process, but warned there is a small chance that it could be denied. We won’t know until they send in the final approval. He also mentioned though that they have very high approval rates and will diligently work to get the surgery approved with the qualification of joint disease with the lower BMI. Has anyone else been in this situation?

Excellent work!

Hi everyone! I have a quick question about the pre-op diet. Is that something that everyone is asked to do? I ask because my BMI is 37.5, and I have to do a three month supervised diet for insurance. At my height, I can lose 21 pounds and still qualify with a BMI of 35. I am worried that the pre-op diet and the three month diet will drop me under 35.

From what I read, there is not much you can do. I had really good luck using cocoa butter when I was pregnant. I didn’t get a single stretch mark and my tummy bounced right back. I know weight loss like this is a completely different ball game, but I might try it just for the heck of it. Saying that, I’ve always had a small waist, even for being a chunky monkey, lol. I am going to really focus on heavy lifting for the next few months before my surgery, and pack on as much muscle as I can. I know I will be out of the weight room for about a month, so I want to be as proactive as I can. Then, as soon as I can get back to it, heavy lifting will be my focus. The muscle helps a ton!

I can take breaks anytime I want, except I do have three weeks in the spring when I have to drive in to help give state tests. When I have the surgery will all depend on how long it takes insurance to approve and how long it takes to schedule the surgery. I really hope for late March or early April, but May is no good. If I have to wait, I will schedule over the summer. Thank you for your responses...all of this helps a ton! [emoji4][emoji4][emoji4]

I’m just getting started too. I called my doc to ask about how to get a referral, and we are meeting on Wednesday to get the referral and start the 3 month supervised diet. I figure it will take that long to get everything squared away and to prepare myself anyhow, so it’s all good. I hope to have the surgery in late March or early April, but it depends on insurance delays. I have Cigna and from what I hear, they look for any reason to say no. I also teach Seniors, so I need to be at my best in May so I make sure I help them cross the stage. Time will tell, but I am excited to just get started. Age: 37 Height: 5’6 SW: 235 GW: 140-150 BMI: 37.5 TKR on left knee at 36

Hello! I am starting the process with gastric sleeve on Wednesday, but my insurance requires 3 months of supervised dieting, so I am looking at March or April for surgery (providing there are no hiccups). I teach at home for a virtual high school, so I am wondering how long I will need to be off of work. Ideally, I would love to have the surgery later in the week and go back to work on Monday. I teach Seniors and I am the only one in my school that is certified to teach the courses that I teach (AP). I love my kiddos too, it will be good for me to get back to working with them. When I had my knee replacement, I was back within 2 weeks, but like I said, I work from home and I was 36, so it was an easier recovery than others. I just roll out of bed and log in. So, how long before you went back, and if you were working in a position like mine, do you think you could have went back more quickly? I can take off much longer if I want, my school gives us an enormous amount of time each year, which is odd for a virtual position. Haha, nobody ever uses it because we actually enjoy our job.

Thank you all for the great advice! It is much appreciated!

Hello! This is my first time posting to this site, so first off, hello! A little about me...I am 37 years old and a mother to one 3 year old and a 8 year old step son. I am a teacher, although I work at a virtual school so I am pretty sedentary during the day. Ten years ago I topped out at 269 pounds, with a height of 5 feet, 6 inches. I went to a bariatric weight loss seminar but never pursued it any further. A few months later I started jogging (I have been an athlete all of my life but the weight spiraled after I stopped playing college soccer). I wasn’t a fan of jogging when I was younger, but I fell in love with it. I dropped 80 pounds and kept it off for years. Throughout those years I began to have knee pain. To make a long story short, doctor after doctor told me that if I lost weight, my knee would feel better. Finally, after about 5 years of this and several doctors, a new doctor finally ordered an MRI. Sadly, my knee had been injured years prior and the damage at that point was too severe to be fixed. Cartilage had been torn and as a result of not getting fixed, it continued to pretty much shred. In June of 2016, I had a total knee replacement at 36 years old. Now I have gained 30 more pounds and I am weighing in at 235 pounds. With a BMI of 37.5 and severe arthritis and joint disease, I am starting the process for gastric sleeve. I have two main concerns. 1. My goal weight is 150 (I have been a heavy weight lifter for years, so I weigh more than what I appear to.) I worry that I will lose more weight than I want to, and start to look sickly. I am assuming that you can increase your calories to maintenance when your body is ready, but this is one conversation I want to have with the doctor. 2. I am worried about hair loss. I did a medically supervised weight loss program (phentermine) for a long time a couple of years ago (when it was becoming more difficult to run and my weight was creeping up), and I noticed an increase in shedding a few months after that. My hair is very fine, so it won’t take much for me to look bald. I am sure I have will a million other questions, but this is where I am today. I go in for a referral next Wednesday, so I am months out of actually doing anything. I just feel the more research and preparation, the better off I will be.