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Hello-has anyone had the gastric sleeve surgery that has been close to 40 for bmi...I am 5 ft 6 and have occasional high blood pressure.. I'm afraid insurance will deny me since my bmi is kind of low! Anyone experience anything similar to this?Im going through the process and surgery is scheduled for 1/15.. I'm scared of insurance rejecting me! Insurance is Capital Blue Cross

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I have Federal BCBS...they required a 2 year weight history because I was at 35 BMI...if I would have been 40 - they would have approved without the hurdles of meeting the 2 year BMI req, diet program for 3 months, etc.

As long at youre at 40 at the time ins approval is req, you should be ok...but just to be sure, maybe you could live it up until then? That may be bad advice, but if I had to be 40 BMI, then I'd do whatever I had to do to make sure I stayed at that BMI so that I could be sure I'd be approved.

Good luck!!!! :-)

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I'm in Sydney, Australia. My BMI is around 37. dr approved surgery due to having PCOS.

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I'm in Sydney, Australia. My BMI is around 37. dr approved surgery due to having PCOS.

Hi Mary!

I'm from around Sydney too, just curious who your surgeon is and where you found them? And have you already had your surgery or are you still waiting for it?

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I was under on my BMI and I weighed in with my shoes and coat on and my purse and a bag of books under my coat.

The nurse knew that I was just doing this for the numbers on the paper work and didn't say anything. I am not necessarily recommending this, but it did work for me.

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I was approved with BCBS of Kansas City with a BMI of 37 and a crap ton of medicated, but not completely controlled co-morbidities, (high BP, asthma, high cholesterol, pre-diabetes, joint pain due to hip displasia). I did have to do the 6 months Dr assisted weight loss attempt, (I gained a bit). Was approved in about 2 weeks. I'd have weighed with rolls of quarters in my pockets if I thought I needed to!

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Haven't had it it. I've had consultations with a few Dr's just to see who I feel most comfortable with. I'm trying to decide between Prof Lord at St Vinnies Private and a couple of others.

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Jacksmom91213....I have Capital a Blue Cross also. I too have a BMI below 40 but I also have sleep apnea. I'm almost done with my first month of dietician monitored diet(dr required - not ins). I'm also afraid of being denied but I spoke to someone who got approved by CBC with just having high cholesterol and she looked under 40 BMI also. I haven't been scheduled yet. I see the Surgeon in two weeks. (Dr. DiMarco). Where are you having it done? Hope we both get approved!

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After consultations with a few really well respected Dr's, I ended up going with the one that I felt safest with - he was actually my GP's preferred too.

I ended up having gastric banding 3 days ago rather than the sleeve, Dr ran through stats and explained the pros and cons of both - I liked the reversibility and the fact a lot more of these procedures have been done so it's a bit more of a predictable path.

Good luck to you guys, I'll head over to the banding section now to find my feet!

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
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    • Doughgurl

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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
      1. This update has no replies.
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