I went to see the doc in Pensacola yesterday, and he told me, if you were my daughter, I would say for your age, weight, and height, the lapband is what I would do for you, however, your bmi is at 38.1 and as far as we know (I havent had a sleep study done yet) you have no complications. Unfortunatly you are in limbo. :cry (the nurse measured my height at 5'7" with my same weight- which is why I came out as a higher bmi than my signature)

The only option left to me is, belive it or not, GAINING weight! Which of course he did not reccomend, but seriously, I want and need this done so how else do I do it? Is gaining the extra few pounds I need to get them to agree that bad an idea? I will obvioulsy loose it in the pre-op diet they put you on. I could even start it a day or two early to help shed those extra pounds I had to put on to get them to agree.

Financing and going to mexico, there is simply no way... Unfortunatly this is one of those times I hate being a military spouse. Any other day of the week I will wave my flag, but right now, I am a little to depressed.

I'd love to hear what some of you have to say about this. What are your ideas? :help:

7 months ago I had a BMI of 38.5 and knew that if I gained 10 pounds I would hit the magic 40 and insurance would cover. While I had light apnea, high cholesterol, was pre-diabetic, and had a host of back problems, my co-morbidities were not enough for insurance to cover at my BMI. Remember with a sleep study, they have to find severe sleep apnea for insurance to kick in, and even that may not be enough because some insurers want a couple of severe medical issues.

My internist was against it and would not provide a letter of approval so I had to pay another doctor (out of network of course, so there was a larger co-pay) to provide me with the letter of consent. We took out a loan and on August 2 I was banded. Best thing I ever did because it gave me my life back. 48 pounds less and I feel great. My internist just got back my first set of blood tests results since my surgery and he was thrilled with all my numbers - NORMAL!!! He then admitted that I was right to have it done and that he should not have withheld his approval.

Living so close to Mexico I have met folks who have had it done there - some who had no problems and some with major problems, actually not much different than the ones here in Houston. If you have the means go for it and do research the doctor and facility ahead of time.

I went to see the doc in Pensacola yesterday, and he told me, if you were my daughter, I would say for your age, weight, and height, the lapband is what I would do for you, however, your bmi is at 38.1 and as far as we know (I havent had a sleep study done yet) you have no complications. Unfortunatly you are in limbo. :cry (the nurse measured my height at 5'7" with my same weight- which is why I came out as a higher bmi than my signature)

The only option left to me is, belive it or not, GAINING weight! Which of course he did not reccomend, but seriously, I want and need this done so how else do I do it? Is gaining the extra few pounds I need to get them to agree that bad an idea? I will obvioulsy loose it in the pre-op diet they put you on. I could even start it a day or two early to help shed those extra pounds I had to put on to get them to agree.

Financing and going to mexico, there is simply no way... Unfortunatly this is one of those times I hate being a military spouse. Any other day of the week I will wave my flag, but right now, I am a little to depressed.

I'd love to hear what some of you have to say about this. What are your ideas? :help:

Army boots, heavy jeans, a roll of quarters in your pocket...lots of jewelry...weigh yourself down before your next visit!

Seriously tho---I don't know how they do it at your Dr., mine I sign in, and when they take me back we stop at one room, weigh, do BP, pulse, check your oxygen level...and make notes of why you are there, then you get sent to an exam room to see the doc. If yours is similar....why can't you weigh yourself "up" some?

Kat

How much weight would you have to gain?

been there done that gain the weight and insurance will still not cover it .

so dont risk your health .

I am a self pay and feel so good now .. insurance just delays your happiness and your health .

If there is a simple difference of 10-15 pounds, we all know how easily we gain that anyway---or we would not have the weight issues that sent us to the Dr. anyway. If you are guaranteed coverage with it, I say it may well be worth considering, IMHO.

Kat

I would have to gain anywhere from 10-20 lbs.. I thought about weighing myself down with some kind of weights but i dunno how or where I would stuff em to hide them!

Unfortunatly we are weighed by the staff so I cant even fake a few pounds. I thought about that as well..

Being military I know I could get the surgery if I went to Walter Reed in DC, Getting my doc to send my stuff might be the only hard part. My PCM is great and thinks I need this too, its the surgeon on base that is such a jerk about me getting the band. As I have said in other posts I get the feeling he just wants to cut on me... pad his resume and all that. But I am gonna try. All I really need is my pcm to send the stuff off anyway I think. Shouldnt have to be the surgeon. I see my PCM on the 8th so hopefully I will know more then. (and weight a little more)

Thinking ankle weights and some cute flare leg jeans might just do the trick... How much do those things weigh anyway??

hmm...I'm bad but i say if it's 'only' 10-20 gain it - I seriously can gain 5lbs in a week no problem - I'm thinking godiva chocolates, dove ice cream bars, Big Macs and fries and fast food every day of the week should do it. Sad but true - if that's the only way - enjoy yourself - eat everything in sight and have the last laugh on all of them.

I'd just pack on the weight, you will have the pre-op diet and the rest of your life to lose the weight, 10-20 lbs is nothing. But that's just me

Uh... So I figured I would start eating "freely" and include at least three of those ensure shake things a day.. I lost four pounds yall!!! How the heck does that happen?! After 4 days of shakes and free eating I lost four pounds... Ack! lol Im adding an additional 1250 cals a day in addition to eating whatever I want and Im not budging! lol Its just my luck!

And get this.... I weigh 241!!!!! All this time eating myself til I was so stuffed I couldnt move and drinking those nasty ensure shakes.. (for an extra 1000 cal a day) and NOTHING! I quit working out, sat infront of this silly computer and got super lazy and NOTHING!!! :faint:

I am so frustrated... at this rate I will never hit the right bmi for these clowns! My pcm is ordering a sleep study just incase, but I honestly dont think there is anything to find... so I am stuck unless I win the lotto and have money to spend on a self pay. :phanvan Cause being military and our family size, its not gonna happen any other way.

/end rant

Surest way to gain weight is eat a whole bag of peanut m&m's with tall glasses of milk, and for the main food of the day eat an entire bag of chips and dip variety is your choice although for max calories I'd go with potato chips and a sourcream based dip, happy gaining :confused: You will feel terrible the next day but I guarantee you will have gained.

HAHHA Thanks Waterlily!! I giggled when I read your post.. I wish I could say that would work. I went to fitday.com and posted everything I have eaten the last few days.. I am averaging about 2500-3000 calories a day, and I am loosing weight? wtheck?

Can you slouch and make yourself an inch or so shorter? Put lead fishing weight in your bra where the underwire would be. Some co-mobidites that they can't prove or disprove, knee and back pain, migraines, irregular periods, shortness of breath. List all of those things, and the weights, you would qualify. ~Mandy

I have a laundry list of issues but apparently if i dont have one of the "bid 3" its a no go... I want to use the ankle weights with some flare leg pants but my husband is afraid of them discovering them and me loosing my medical benefits thru the military. He has begged me not to attempt it.

I am between a rock and a Really freakin hard place! LOL

Do you think they will inspect your bra? I would be nervous about ankle weights too, but a weighted bra, I would be a bit more confident with. Also a high amount of salt, maybe a few days of chinese takeout, to make you retain water? Then slouch to make yourself a bit shorter, that would make the bmi go up. ~Mandy