Hello everyone.

I am interesting in band surgery. I went through the insurance process and have been rejected twice after testing for various comorbidities. I am fat but I'm healthy! Yaaay!

My BMI is 38. I have to options: go take out an $8K-$15K loan or gain 10-15 pounds and have the 40 I need to get the surgery.

What do you guys think I should do?

That all depends. Can you afford the loan? Who is the insurance with? (BCBS of TX is approving more these days) Can you carry some weights in your pockets? What the insurance company doesn't know won't hurt them.

You got any ideas on ten pound weights?

I am not sure but I had read to wear heavy clothing and put rolls of quarters in a multiple pocket vest. Leave your heavy shoes one when they weigh, etc

Instead of that, I refinanced my house.

I would gain the 10-15 pounds. Most people gain that weight anyway after they find out that they have been approved. Because then you eat like it is your last meal unitl your pre-op meal starts. You go to all of your favorite places to eat and eat all of your favorite foods. But I will let you in on a lap band secret the doctors don't tell you. You eat normal food after you heal, just not the same amount. You are told that you can never go back to the way you ate before your surgery. Your taste buds and brain do not know that you had the surgery only you stomach knows. So you tend to eat that same types of foods as before but just healthier (sometimes). The insurance thing is just a game. It is a twenty something kid that can tell your doctor (who has gone to school for a million years to be a physician) that you do not quallify. I truely believe they have a specific number of patients that they approve and a specific number they decline and it just depends on what card they draw out of the hat. Oh well, don't get me going on the insurance companies. I did not have any problems, but my husband did with gastric bypass. I have lost 73 pounds in 4 months and he has lost 180 pounds in three years so I guess I can not complain. Good Luck!

I would gain the weight. I had a BMI of 88 and I qualified for self-pay. But if I had insurance I'd gain the weight probably. My friends mom and her friend didn't quite qualify for GB 5 years ago so they wore weight belts to the doctor for weigh in and noone ever knew!!

I'm the pervert of the bunch, so I say shove a few rolls of quarters up your butt. But seriously, it's easy to gain 15 pounds without gaining 15 pounds. Heavy jewelry, a baseball cap with weights, chunky belt, ball bearings sew into the hems of your clothing... be creative. Eat a salt lick, drink 5 gallons of water, don't pee and show up soaking wet with those quarters! Good luck.

Are you asking a forum of obese friends to how to put on 15 pounds? ooooh that's just funny! Two words: Pulled Pork...or Krispy Kremes...or...oh I kind of just drooled on my shirt.

Seriously...dress heavy, drink much...and have a few big meals.

OR....can you do a sleep study? I was close to the BMI 40 cut off, but I had sleep apnea, which meant my insurance paid even if my BMI was as low as 35. Not to worry...it wasn't there at the time!

Good Luck.

Jon

Gain the weight. safety pin weights to your underwear.

I'm the pervert of the bunch, so I say shove a few rolls of quarters up your butt. But seriously, it's easy to gain 15 pounds without...

Um... quarters? ....QUARTERS??

!!

My darlin' Darlara, me thinks you'd better back off on those party toys a little.

(Spose I should be happy you didn't say silver dollars!)

heehee

Thanks for the advice guys! I thought people wouldbe pissed at me for cheating the system.

Can somone tell me where I can get weight belts?? Especially belts for wider waists?

I'm gonna try the Water thing. Lets hope I can hold it long enough!!!

Yaaaay! Thanks for all the help.

I was in a similar situation a few months ago and because I'm extremely debt-phobic and am saving for a downpayment on a condo, I gained the weight. I've gained about 15-20 pounds. I'm bigger than I've ever been and feel absolutely miserable. Physically, I feel absolutely rotten. I have a lot more pain in my back, legs, and feet. This is definitely not the healthy way to go.

The only thing keeping me going is knowing that it's only for another month or twoHowever, I do have a lot more peace of mind knowing that my BMI is officially over 40 and I don't have to come up with a bunch of bogus health problems or get creative about my family's health history in order to get approved.

Like I said, this is defnitely NOT good for you and because of that, I have a hard time advising you to do it. But in my case, I felt it was my only option.

Thanks for the insight. I can't see myself going through that either. That's why I'm hoping to gain a bunch of water weight or where heavy clothing. I am definitely going to go that route.

Any ideas on how to weigh me down?

I dont think they'll let me wear shoes.

I was in a similar situation a few months ago and because I'm extremely debt-phobic and am saving for a downpayment on a condo, I gained the weight. I've gained about 15-20 pounds. I'm bigger than I've ever been and feel absolutely miserable. Physically, I feel absolutely rotten. I have a lot more pain in my back, legs, and feet. This is definitely not the healthy way to go.

The only thing keeping me going is knowing that it's only for another month or twoHowever, I do have a lot more peace of mind knowing that my BMI is officially over 40 and I don't have to come up with a bunch of bogus health problems or get creative about my family's health history in order to get approved.

Like I said, this is defnitely NOT good for you and because of that, I have a hard time advising you to do it. But in my case, I felt it was my only option.

Your post rings a bell with me. Have you had a sleep study done. You might have sleep apnea. It's amazing what C-pap can do for you. You wake up feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed. I had no clue I had sleep apnea, but was always tired and felt miserable.

I sloughed when I was measured for my height, I wore baggy jeans & slightly bent one knee. It made me a whole inch shorter which really pushed up the BMI. I also think that several rolls of quarters is a great idea. Put them in the inside pockets of say like a jean jacket or or pants pockets & wear a large shirt. Once you are weighed you don't need to constantly be weighed again & again. Also I know they don't continue to remeasure your height.

Just keep in mind that just b/c you reach the correct BMI doesnt mean you get approval from your insurance always. But I say its worth the try before the large loan.