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Need some support and reassurance!



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So I will give you a brief history of my situation and hope someone can offer any advice and support.

So about 5 years ago I decided I wanted to consider surgery, but it seem rather drastic considering that I had never "really" tried to lose weight. So I made a deal with myself that I would join WW and do my very best to lose weight than if that was not successful would consider surgery. Well long story short I weighed in at my first meeting @ 314 lbs. OMG! and started the program. Over the next 18 months through much sweat and tears lost 107 lbs. I hit a plateau and was very frustrated after about 6 months of not getting any support through my group so decided to do what I had wanted to do for a long time and joined a running team and over the next year did 2 full marathons and 3 halves and really didn't think about a plateau even though I never lost anymore weight. Well I ended up injuring my foot, due to the fact that I was doing marathons and still over 200 lbs.

Well I took some time off to heal and gained back a little then a little more and then became depressed about weight and gained a few more. Then had several family tragedies and gained a few more.

Okay back story told here is my frustrated. I decided back before Christmas that it was time to have surgery and take my life back before I weighed 300lbs again. On my first appt. I weighed in at 279lbs and a 46 BMI. Well I am prediabetic, still suffering from foot and knee pain, but other than that no real health issues...yet. So I have completed all tests, physc. evaluation and am 1 month into my 3 month supervised diet required by insurance.

So my case worker calls today and apparently the insurance company wants 2 years of medical records showing a BMI of 35 with medical conditions, or higher without and apparently my previous weight for that one year is low and might cause them to deny my surgery in April. Really? I've been heavy for 25 years and due to the fact that I had 3 years where I killed myself every day to stay not as fat it will keep me from being able to take my life back because Im not sick enough. So sad today and just feeling defeated.

If anyone has been through this would appreciate feed back and sorry if this is badly written. Just got home from work and needed to unload so that I can sleep tonight.

If you've been through this or anything similar please share and if Aetna was involved even better. I would just appreciate hearing that I should get a grip and everything will be fine.

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My BMI was never under the requirement for surgery, but it was REALLY close one year. I sent in my weight records for 5 years instead of 2, at least that what the sheet I sent to my surgeons office had on it, showing I was well over the BMI for the other 4 years, the 1st being the one that was close. Aetna was really quick about approving my surgery, I really hope they look at everything for you and give you the nod of approval. If not, you can always file again and see if that helps. Good luck.

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Thanks for your info. I don't want to whine. It's just that everything has been going so smoothly. My husband and I are both having the surgery and I just don't want anything to keep that from happening.

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I think the idea of sending them more info- as in our BMI/weight for a couple of years before WW is a good idea- I also wonder if it would help to send a narrative about your struggle and re-gain...check with your insurance person at the dr office on what helps push things through- good luck, try not to get discouraged...things tend to happen precisely when they are meant to....

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I totally agree, sending them more than 3 years of weight history should help. My coordinator explained to me that they really want to see a history of weight issues, going back at least 3 years, more can only help your cause. Good luck

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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