Hello Everyone,

My Hubby is Skinnydipn42. I think I got that right. He's the one who is going for the surgery but is just waiting now for the ok from the insurence people. I've been considering this also but my doctor doesn't think I'm a canidate. My BMI is something like, 37 but getting higher every day. My right knee hurts so bad that walking is very hard, so that is keeping me from getting the excersize I need! I'm going for another shot in my knee soon. I'm 62 years old ( I'll be 63 Decemebr 11the ) and weigh about 228 pounds and am 5'5"and a half " tall. The questions that my Hubby Don had to answer , 700 plus , plus more after he came home!

I don't think I could survive that! I'm a very slow reader and I'm sure it would take me twice as long. I'd most likely need 2 different days at the office to do it all. After four hours, ( Don was going to slow for him! ) the doctor Jolly wasn't so jolly! Well, doctor Jolly would NOT like me!!! Also I think mind doctors are all crazy! I've been to one already and it was a bad experience! The medicines she prescribed for me almost killed me! I was in the Babtist hospital in a simi-uncontios state. My sodium level was much to low!

I have more hunger than Don does but I have mangaed to weigh less than him. I consider him small-boned and I am large boned with big feet.

Our main doctor David Flemming doesn't consider this important, but I do. My fatehr died at 52 years of age and all his 7 brothers died kind of young of heart probloms. My grandmother on my father's side was a short lady and at her death weighed over 350 pounds. She cooked for eight boys and one daughter! The boys could eat one whole pie each! My dad was a cook and also worked in a bakery. He's bring home free goodies and who could resist Bear Class, Maple Bars, and donuts!? We were poor and this was wonderful! Of course then I was a skinny girl.

Garndpa was a nurse who died of an heart attack also kind of young. I remember the day he died very well! We lived with grandmother and grandfather often when dad was out of work and this was often. Of course grandmother cooked lots of things we loved! She had been a nurse also. They were nurses/missionaries in China were my dad was born.

Well, this is all for now I guess. I am happy to have made it to this age of 62 but want to live longer. The grandchildren we have here are three and it's great seeing them grow up and seeing our daughter and soninlaw.

I hope someone respnds to me.

Nina ( pronounced with a long "I" sound.)

Nina,

Nice to meet you.

There are many doctors who will do surgery on individuals who have 35 BMI and above. Perhaps there are others in your area who are willing to see you? Also, you have the right to see whom ever you want for the psych exam. 700 questions seems a little excessive.

From what you said I gather your insurance does cover the surgery if you prequalify, is that right? If so, that's awesome! I was covered also. My 17,800 surgery only cost me 50 bucks. I was truly blessed.

If you would like to talk, feel free to message me anytime.

Nina, I think you should really consider finding maybe a different dr in your area. My Dr and his staff informed me that you had to be over 40 bmi, or 35 and over with health issues. As for the Psych exam, i havent had my evaluation yet, but i can hope that it isnt a whopping 700 questions.

I hope that you can find a way to get the procedure done!

Keep us updated!

Nina- Welcome to LBT! You do have options. If you aren't covered by insurance, you can try Mexico, or there are some self pay docs in the US who do the procedure for around $10,000. One is in Colorado- I think it's Lapbandrockies.com or something. This is a great group and a great board. Feel free to post your concerns or questions and someone will gladly help out!

Hello Everyone,

My Hubby is Skinnydipn42. I think I got that right. He's the one who is going for the surgery but is just waiting now for the ok from the insurence people. I've been considering this also but my doctor doesn't think I'm a canidate. My BMI is something like, 37 but getting higher every day. My right knee hurts so bad that walking is very hard, so that is keeping me from getting the excersize I need! I'm going for another shot in my knee soon. I'm 62 years old ( I'll be 63 Decemebr 11the ) and weigh about 228 pounds and am 5'5"and a half " tall. The questions that my Hubby Don had to answer , 700 plus , plus more after he came home!

I don't think I could survive that! I'm a very slow reader and I'm sure it would take me twice as long. I'd most likely need 2 different days at the office to do it all. After four hours, ( Don was going to slow for him! ) the doctor Jolly wasn't so jolly! :Banane30: Well, doctor Jolly would NOT like me!!! Also I think mind doctors are all crazy! I've been to one already and it was a bad experience! The medicines she prescribed for me almost killed me! I was in the Babtist hospital in a simi-uncontios state. My sodium level was much to low!

I have more hunger than Don does but I have mangaed to weigh less than him. I consider him small-boned and I am large boned with big feet.

Our main doctor David Flemming doesn't consider this important, but I do. My fatehr died at 52 years of age and all his 7 brothers died kind of young of heart probloms. My grandmother on my father's side was a short lady and at her death weighed over 350 pounds. She cooked for eight boys and one daughter! The boys could eat one whole pie each! My dad was a cook and also worked in a bakery. He's bring home free goodies and who could resist Bear Class, Maple Bars, and donuts!? We were poor and this was wonderful! Of course then I was a skinny girl.

Garndpa was a nurse who died of an heart attack also kind of young. I remember the day he died very well! We lived with grandmother and grandfather often when dad was out of work and this was often. Of course grandmother cooked lots of things we loved! She had been a nurse also. They were nurses/missionaries in China were my dad was born.

Well, this is all for now I guess. I am happy to have made it to this age of 62 but want to live longer. The grandchildren we have here are three and it's great seeing them grow up and seeing our daughter and soninlaw.

I hope someone respnds to me.

Nina ( pronounced with a long "I" sound.)

Hi Nina - Yes I know your DH i - i have read his post and we all congratulated him on 43 yrs marriage - and he is on the over 50 thread & Oldies thread too..

My doc does bmi at 37 - I'm 52 5'4 and today 211 - my bmi is like 36 i think - i am still considered obesity..

Good luck on your journey...

Nice to meet you also.

"There are many doctors who will do surgery on individuals who have 35 BMI and above. Perhaps there are others in your area who are willing to see you? Also, you have the right to see whom ever you want for the psych exam. 700 questions seems a little excessive. "

I'm going to see how my husband does and if our Federal BlueCross/Blue Sheild will approve his surgery. I think they will. We can't afford to do this any other way, so this is our only option.

Don didn't like the psych doctor he saw and would never want to see him again. I for sure won't see this one! I've already had a bad experience with a psyc doctor and will be sure to check out the dotor first befor I agree to have him/her as my doctor! I want to know ahead of time what to expect! There is one I know of that I may use I heard was good, but don't they have to be the kind of psyc doctor that deals with this sort of thing? I wonder?

From what you said I gather your insurance does cover the surgery if you prequalify, is that right? If so, that's awesome! I was covered also. My 17,800 surgery only cost me 50 bucks. I was truly blessed.

If you would like to talk, feel free to message me anytime."

what happend? I was writing a post and it desapeared?

From what you said I gather your insurance does cover the surgery if you prequalify, is that right? If so, that's awesome! I was covered also. My 17,800 surgery only cost me 50 bucks. I was truly blessed.

I guess I have to be quick to respond to these quick respond ons? LOL! If our Federal BlueCross says yes he will be covered 100% from what I heard Don say. You got a good deal too! Great!

...

My doc does bmi at 37 - I'm 52 5'4 and today 211 - my bmi is like 36 i think - i am still considered obesity..

Good luck on your journey...

__________________

That's good to hear, being I am have a bmi of 37. My main doctor said I was obese! Those words are so hard to hear! :cool: Thanks for the "Good luck"

Nina

Hello Socalgal3,

"Nina- Welcome to LBT! You do have options. If you aren't covered by insurance, you can try Mexico, or there are some self pay docs in the US who do the procedure for around $10,000. One is in Colorado- I think it's Lapbandrockies.com or something. This is a great group and a great board. Feel free to post your concerns or questions and someone will gladly help out!"

We can only go the Federal BlueCross way. We could not afford it any other way. Thanks for your reply! I was thinking noone was going too!

Nina

__________________

Hello Bullitt2410, I'm still trying to figure out this here forum! I'll get there! I like Don's doctor that will do Don's surgery , just not that 700 pluss question stuff!!! No WAY!:cool: Boy do I :kiss2:love these smiley thigies! :clap2: Well, I am sort of an artist. I love art! :ranger: Forgive me if I have some fun! :biggrin1:

"Nina, I think you should really consider finding maybe a different dr in your area. My Dr and his staff informed me that you had to be over 40 bmi, or 35 and over with health issues. As for the Psych exam, i havent had my evaluation yet, but i can hope that it isnt a whopping 700 questions.

I hope that you can find a way to get the procedure done!

Keep us updated!"

It looks like there are many different things happening depending on the doctor. I've been doing some reading here and I see that many have different stories to tell. Some have had no evaluations! Good luck on your evaluations! :bandit

Nina

Nina,

Blue Cross Blue Shield FEDERAL will approve it, 100%, you just pay the co-pay. Thats the insurance I have. A lady at a seminar with me, sat next to me, she had Bc/Bs STATE and has to self pay.

Hello Erica, :ranger:

You are still so young!

Don just reminded me that sense he is on Medicare now, Medicare pays first then Federal Blue Cross takes up what Medicare doesn't pay. I won't be 65 for 2 years, so I may have to wait till then. Blue Cross for me now will pay 90% of it. We are do tight that even 10% may hard for us. The last few days I've been losing weight and I'm glad of that. My bum knee is making it hard to get in arobics. I do other exersizes like weights and leg raises but arobics is hard to get with a bad knee. How do people with no legs get their arobics in? I know they have wheel chairs made for this. I've seen them going around a track and at the Y I've seen them. I wish we could afford to get back to the Y like we did in the past.

Take care Erica.

:eek: It's been a busy day here. Got to go. We're having dinner at our daughter's tonight. :hungry: I better be careful!!!

Nina

Something is not right with this, my message just dissapeared too.

what I was saying to Nina is that my BMI was 40, wieght 220 height 5'2" and I qualified by BCBS's standard as well as my docs and most LB webpages will say this. then my surgeons NP's order sleep studies and other tests that found I had a slew of co-morbidities. Bottom line, YOU ARE A CANDIDATE, don't let that doc cheat you!!!

Hello Country Girl! :glasses

So I'm not the only one that problom! Any one else have this happen?

"Something is not right with this, my message just dissapeared too."

What I do now is after I click on quick reply I then go to advanced. That gives me more time to type and I'm not a real fast typer!

"what I was saying to Nina is that my BMI was 40, wieght 220 height 5'2" and I qualified by BCBS's standard as well as my docs and most LB webpages will say this. then my surgeons NP's order sleep studies and other tests that found I had a slew of co-morbidities. Bottom line, YOU ARE A CANDIDATE, don't let that doc cheat you!!!"

My Dad died at 52 and all his 7 brothers died young from heart attacks! I think this might help to tell the doctor. He might change his mind and there are other doctors.

You are pretty short too, 5'2" . I'm 5' 5 and a half " ". This morning weighed in at 226 pounds. I had gotten up to 229 not long ago and I knew it! It's so hard to carry that weight around! I could hardly move!!! :eek:

Don is on-line now reading things here.

Your Online Buddy, Nina

Nina,

Yes I am quite young, 23. And Im glad that this is available, I want to see my princess grow up and I want to see my great grandbabies! <3

Have you thought to try Water Arobics, you get a great work out and its a lot less strain on your knee. Should look into it, definatly worth it!

From listening to the insurance coverage replies to the seminar I went to, a lady with Medicare will be completly covered even before they ran the Medicare check. Then I too was told the same thing with BC/BS federal, as long as i'd met my deductable, if not then of course no more than 250, or the difference from the total deductable and what i've met so far.

Im so glad, that at this point in your life, you arent like a lot of people, and just given up. Im so proud of you and happy for you! I cant wait til you get some answers and things start working in your favor!