Advise

[kay0423 0]

Hello All,

I was looking into getting the gastric sleeve surgery. I am currently 180lbs 5ft. 5inches. I want to lose weight but from reading the reviews you can lose 30-40 lbs. or more. I think that might be too much weight to lose. I was more looking to lose about 20lbs. max. Just here for some advise on weather I should go forth with it or not? Cost is not an issue because my insurance will cover it. I would like advise on real people who has been through the experience. Tia.

[catwoman7 10,845]

your BMI is 30 - a lot of insurance companies won't cover it unless you're a 35 BMI if you have two or more co-morbidities, or a 40 BMI if you have no co-morbidities. You're lucky your company will cover it. Although it's a lot to go through for 20 lbs. I'm not saying don't, but.... most of us on here have considerably more weight to lose (many of us 100 or more pounds)

[kay0423 0]

Tks. Catwoman7 for your advise. Yeah your right. I have no comorbidities. Maybe I should reconsider.

[BigSue 1,320]

Are you sure your insurance will cover it? Just because your insurance covers bariatric surgery doesn’t mean they will approve it for everyone. As Catwoman7 said, you would not qualify for most insurance companies’ criteria for bariatric surgery approval.

Even if your insurance company really would pay for it, bariatric surgery is not something to be taken lightly. Gastric sleeve is a major surgery that permanently removes a large portion of your stomach. It requires lifelong changes in eating, taking supplements, and regular follow up monitoring. It can also have complications (the most common one for gastric sleeve is GERD, which can be so severe that it requires medication or even additional surgery). It is also not magic; if you do not fully commit to the lifestyle chances, you could regain some or all of the weight,

These risks and drawbacks are true for everyone who gets bariatric surgery, so everyone has to evaluate the pros and cons. For someone who has 100+ pounds to lose and serious health problems related to obesity, it may be worth the trade off. But it would be a lot to go through to lose 20 pounds, especially if you don’t have any other health problems related to your weight. That’s why insurance companies only approve it under certain circumstances — they only want you to do it if there is a very good chance that it will improve your overall health.

[jennlynn69 0]

Ok so this is all new to me! Me and the doctor are leaning towards getting the sleeve done. I had my 1st appointment in November I weighed 266lbs. An still weigh the same now! I've heard good an bad stories and I'm getting really nervous. I've not lost anything on the LRD should I be??!? Am I doing it wrong?!?! I have my psych eval this Wednesday, what will I need will I get it wrong?!?! Help!! 

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[GradyCat 3,692]

I don't mean to sound discouraging, but you seem like you're at a pretty good weight and would be successful with diet and exercise. Like the others have said, you don't seem to qualify for weight loss surgery that insurance would pay for with your BMI.

[jennlynn69 0]

Thank you for responding, an I would totally agree with you, however I've tried everything possible from diets to medications and everything in between. Exercise classes, to on my own. It just won't go!!