I just got weight for my 5th month of my PCP supervised diet. I have only lost 11 pound up to this point. I have one more month to go and I hope to lose 2-3 pound. Is a 13-15 pound weight loss enough to get approved by my insurance? I have Blue Cross Blue Shield PA. Any thoughts or experience are appreciated!

It sounds like you have not met with a surgeon yet. The first seminar I went said that everyone had to loose 5% body weight between first consult and the surgery. I ended going to a different practice. The nurse at that meeting said I would need to loose 30+ pounds before surgery (10%). About 7 weeks later I met with the doctor and had lost about 15. After examining me he determined I had lost enough to do the procedure. I ended up loosing another 35 before surgery. It really comes down to your particular doctors requirements.

I think loosing weight is a happy result of behavior modificaton. The more you can change your habits the more successful you will be long term.

Have you started an excerise program? If you are physically able I would start someting now. I think waiting until after surgery to exercise when you are tired and maybe hurting is setting oneself up for failure.

I started swimming everyday when I was diagnosed with having an arthritic knee that was excruitiating when walking. I weighed 364 lb. I bought a fat lady swim suit and went to the gym. If I can do it anyone can do it.