I signed in and poked around got the message "Hey Sissy907 you haven't posted in awhile, why don't you say hi or answer some questions!!"

So here I am. Frustrated and angry. Still no band. I had a sleep study a few nights ago so I should hear about the results of that in a week or so. That is really my last shot at getting the band without having to gain more weight. And on that note, do you know in all this time TRYING to gain weight, eating whatever I want and how much I want (acctually trying to stuff myself to over full) and drinking 3-4 ensure plus shakes a day I havent gained any weight? This makes no sense to me, and is frustrating. Just 10-20 lbs would do it and I would be on my way to health! So since I have had little luck gaining, and I honestly dont think I have any trouble with sleep apnea, I am fearing it will be a cold day in hell until I get my band.

On an upside I am applying for a new job at a vet clinic here, I would really enjoy time out of the house, without thinking about my weight and other issues. Maybe they offer health insurance that will pay for this... Who knows.

So hi everyone! Sorry I am not feeling more positive about all of this. Hope everyone is having a lovely spring and enjoys a great time with their family for Easter!!

Sissy...I also applaud you~for not waiting until your 30000 lbs to want to get help & get the band!

Thank you for all the positive care guys. Makes me feel better.

Sissy posted this in the support section, not the rants and raves. If you feel strongly about speaking out against what she discussed concerning gaining 10 pounds to qualify---then it would be the right place to say so in a thread in the Rants and Raves.

If this is true then in all fairness, the pissy (but well deserved) reply belongs there too.

Your right. I agree. But I dont mind Revolution stating their opinion here, I was just hurt that they would be so mean to a fellow fatty. 100 pounds, 200 pounds, 300 pounds, to lose, we all have the same right to pursue health.

I'm not being lazy sitting on the couch eating bon bons all day, watching Oprah, letting the pounds pack on, wanting the band so I "don't have to try". I'm very active, just fat, and unfortunately, ten-ish pounds stands between me and a healthier, happier, better functioning me. I'm just unlucky (if you can say that) not to have what I have come to call the "big 3" comorbidities. (Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, sleep Apnea). So I have to find another way to get my band, because with military doctors, all the other health problems I do have, aren't enough to qualify me in thier eyes, for this procedure. And unfortunately, my insurance isn't willing to pay for this "experimental" surgery, so there is no going to a civilian doctor.

I didn't think that ten-ish pounds was a big deal, and many of you said so in another thread I posted the question in.

I was simply hurt and lashed out, maybe over-reacting, but how would you feel if it was about you? Much as Lauren said, we get enough discrimination, we don't need it from fellow fatties....

Do you have TriCare? TriCare doesn't pay for a Lap Band yet, just an ineffective band that is not adjustable. I know very little about military insurance, just what a friend was going through.

Yes TriCare-south. However, they dont pay for anything down here but the bypass, which I am not interested in getting at all.. they make up all kind of excuses from its "experimental", to we dont pay for laproscopic procedures and on and on...

So I figured somewhere in the military someone has to do lapband right? I mean if they do bypass someone has to have had the training to break open lapbanding in the military... So I started looking into it and doing some research for my mother who is interested as well, I did a doctor search in her area and found a guy at the base we just moved from, thought heck I will get them to send me up there and have it done (which they do all the time- sending patients to other hospitals for things that cant be done where your at) and figured if I was going to have to go somewhere and have surgery might as well go home and have mommy take care of me right??!! Anyway I called and he had PCS'd (permanant change of station) at the same time we did. So I had to track him down and put in a call to him, and then made calls to the other major medical facilities in the area. The nearest hospital that does them is Walter Reed in DC (yes the one under investigation). Which made me nervous but I thought with all the attention its getting right now, they will be cleaning up their acts (and rooms) and following the book with everything they do.

So I started doing all the tests that I could to get everything out of the way and taken care of before I send my records up (which included my sleep study last week- which I am waiting for the results) at which time I will ask my pcm to send up my records for concideration.

In the mean time I figured ok I am at BMI 36.8 and I am watching veryyy carefully how much I eat and what I am eating. I hadnt had junk in months. I figured between now and sending my records up if I didnt pay so close attention to what I was eating, or how big or small my portions were and I happened to put on a few extra pounds (and of course raised my bmi closer to 40) that no harm could really come because they would have me do the liquid diet anyway and that I would more than likely drop all-or most of that weight I just put on. Only for some reason, I havent really put any on! I have stayed right in my zone within three pounds as I have always swayed in the area and for a little while even lost about four pounds, altho I put that back on since then -about 4 weeks ago- and am back in my "zone". Of course four weeks ago I had a hysterectomy and have been resting a lot since then so as not to over-do it.

So here I am. Kind of just hoping that I have apnea so I have a "real reason" to have this surgery, instead of having to need to put on 10ish pounds to get it anyway. I thought about ankle weights, which freaked my husband right out, and I am still concidering it (shh dont tell him) just too kind of help it along without the gaining thing... But I need to find a really cute pair of flare leg jeans to kind of cover the ankle weights so the tech doesnt see them before I go back in my room and remove them and toss them in my purse so they arent discovered.. but I am having a hard time finding a pair that is long enough to cover the weights and keep them covered while I am sitting in the waiting room. So, I will probably pull it all together and have the weights on when I go in for my follow up to the sleep study so We can just kill two birds with one stone if you will... Im already at 40 bmi doc, so who cares if I qualify with the apnea. *blink* He thinks I should be able to have the surgery now, and thinks my issues are plenty enough reason, but hes not a surgeon so, we have to go by what they say, some docs will smudge it even if you are just below 40, so heres hoping we find one of those doctors!

Thats my story... and Im stickin to it!

Alli

I love the ankle weights!!lol!! Sissy you are hysterical. I am crying with laughter so hard it hurts! I guess you've gotta do what you've gotta do!

Just an easy way to hid 10 lbs ya know?? 'Sept I live in florida and would look like a damn freak when its 80 and humid wearing jeans but whatever people have been seen in weirder things in this weather..

Thanks for the compliment. Many people have told me I am funny. Course it probably grew out of my childhood. When I was little if we made mom laugh we werent in trouble anymore (cause ya cant punish them when you are laughing hysterically at them!) So I became an effin comedian.. cause I was ALWAYS in trouble!

TriCare doesn't even cover lap bands yet and if you want a lap band you have to show why you "can't" vs. don't want a bypass or the other procedure that is horrible and doesn't work.

They will be covering lap bands but not in the near future.

I have a friend that works for Tri Care and they have yet to approve a band for anyone and they aren't even approving bypass for people very often.

As I recall you have to have a BMI of 40, a documented 5 year history of morbid obesity (you don't have that), and 2 comorbidities. You don't have those either.

Even when they do cover bands eventually you will have to show medical records demonstrating you have had a BMI of 40 or more for five years AND two comorbidities such as diabetes, or high blood pressure.

Not sure what ankle weights will do for you other than start the five year documentation process but the fact is, as of today you don't and won't qualify. Hopefully they will change their requirements but it isn't likely to happen in the near future.

You might be like a great many of us and have to pay privately to have it done.

Actually with the military I have to have bmi 35 and one comorbidity or 40 with none. I do have weight related health issues just not the "big 3".

And as far as proving why I want one over the other, there is no proving. If I am going to have a wls, I get to choose which one I want. They cant force me to do one above the other. -that is illegal and unethical...

Your right I dont have bmi of 40 for the last five years. I have bmi 36.8 for 7 years.. and if I happen to hit the magic 40, I only have to weigh in once to qualify, since I have a history of being heavy already.

I think the difference between my view and yours, your talking TriCare, Im talking military -as in a guy in cammoflage will be doing my surgery, not a civilian doctor paid for by TriCare, because as I stated before, they dont cover it.

Actually with the military I have to have bmi 35 and one comorbidity or 40 with none. I do have weight related health issues just not the "big 3".

And as far as proving why I want one over the other, there is no proving. If I am going to have a wls, I get to choose which one I want. They cant force me to do one above the other. -that is illegal and unethical...

Your right I dont have bmi of 40 for the last five years. I have bmi 36.8 for 7 years.. and if I happen to hit the magic 40, I only have to weigh in once to qualify, since I have a history of being heavy already.

I think the difference between my view and yours, your talking TriCare, Im talking military -as in a guy in cammoflage will be doing my surgery, not a civilian doctor paid for by TriCare, because as I stated before, they dont cover it.

Okay, as I wrote earlier I am no expert in TriCare or military anythings. I was just telling you what a friend experienced through TriCare. I have no clue what the difference is between TriCare and other military medical care.

Something I have told people to do before is to stuff yourself with rolls of quarters. Put them in your pockets, your bra, everywhere. You'll be lumpy but most fat folks are.

thats the plan with the ankle weights!

Boots. And then ya wear one of those travelers belts, you know the kind I mean, and you put some lead weights in that. But I never thought of putting stuff in my bra. If its a big enough bra, a big bosomed woman can hold a lot in there with them.

I was actually reading an article the other day about people who had had weight loss surgery (DS I think) and one woman did describe it as being the easy way out. http://www.eastbayexpress.com/2007-01-17/news/life-after-the-knife/print I was especially surprised with how she compared herself to her mother. My mother lost about 120 pounds with diet a few years ago and has kept it off. She is hungry all the time and always thinking about what she can't or can eat and when and how much. I knew I couldn't live like that, that that wasn't something I would learn to get used to. I'm also glad I had the surgery now, when I am rather young. Before more weight related complications came my way.

I have to lean on Sissy's side a bit on this issue...I was literally 5 pounds away from meeting my insurance's requirements (min BMI of 40 regardless of co-morbidities!--Strict) even though the "national average" medical requirements was min BMI of 35 with Co-morbidities. And to make matters worse, my insurance was running out one month later. I was mortified because the insurance company would not offer any assistance whatsoever. I paid $450 a month for family insurance for many years and never had any other medical issues for them to pay. Anyway, I ended up having to wear heavy shoes (after eating whatever I wanted for a week or two) to my weigh in...but I made it.

It is so frustrating to be so close yet feel so far away. Unless you have been in that boat, it is real hard to understand what that person is going through. However, all of us was overweight...doesnt matter by how much, we all know what it feels like. Fact is, we all want to do something about it...so, Ms Sissy...I wish you the best of luck as I would someone who was already qualified for the surgery!

Please keep us posted!

Have you thought about putting on muscle weight instead of fat weight? Then you'll be ahead of the game and into exercise program before you ever have the surgery.

Shawn