Want to get surgery

[shonna1989 2]

I came here last year posting about my frustrations. I'm now 222 pounds. Strictest diet of my life and the highest level of exercise I've ever done in the last two months and I have lost no weight at all.

I was 150 a decade ago and even then I was struggling To maintain it. By the age of of 24 (2014) I had mysteriously gained 20 pounds in one year andbever since then I've just been gaining. Gaining, gaining. Going from a size 8 to now over a size 20. It's been unbelievable.

I was tested for PCOS but nothing came back. Had cystic acne and grew a beard a few years ago but every test comes back normal. They haven't seen anything like this before.

I have no food addiction. I have a small appetite personally but no one believes me when I tell them this. My daily Breakfast just consists of a banana and nuts most days and I eat healthy lunches and nutritionally rich dinners. Yesterday I made myself a kale salad with mandarin oranges and tuna -- that's all I had for supper.

Exactly what is it going to take for me to get WLS? I was refused Two years ago but them I was 209. I'm 5'7 and nearly 34. I can't keep gaining more weight. My insulin is now abnormal and doctors think I'm pre diabetic.

I have not done anything wrong. I joined a gym in March, I eat extremely carefully. What else is there left to do but surgery?

I'm in canada but am willing to travel to Mexico if necessary.

Edited October 19, 2023 by shonna1989

[ChunkCat 676]

I have this problem. I'm not an overeater. I eat very carefully and about 1200 calories a day. I get exercise. I don't binge. I drink Water. I gained 60 lbs in one year when I was about 16 and the weight has done nothing but go up ever since. No one could tell me why. My diet and activity level didn't change. The best they could guess is it was my thyroid but those levels were normal until my 30s. I did develop an autoimmune disease at 14 though and it could have contributed inflammation. I became diabetic a few years ago and have steadily climbed to over 300 lbs. At this point doctors say it is inflammation and metabolic disorder that was probably subclinical for years. Some of the weight is definitely med related and now Im physically disabled which contributes too.

All this to say not everyone who gains weight has an eating disorder but it's rare and doctors will have no clue what to do with you! With the extra weight you should qualify for surgery, right?? I wish you the best of luck. I'm halfway through my pre-op diet and true to form my body hasn't lost a pound. 😂

Edited October 19, 2023 by ChunkCat

[Jeanniebug 472]

The requirements for surgery depend on your insurance. For my insurance, I had to have a BMI of 35+ and at least one comorbidity - or a BMI of 40 with no comorbidities.

When I walked into the surgeon's office, my BMI was 35.5 and I had two comorbidities (diabetes and high cholesterol). I was a low-BMI patient, but I did qualify. I was 5'6" and weighed 233 pounds, the day I walked into my surgeon's office.

Sad to say, but you might need to gain some more weight, in order to qualify.

[NickelChip 689]

I know in the US, our requirements for insurance to cover the surgery (if you have insurance that does) is generally a BMI of 35 with co-morbidities (blood pressure, diabetes, etc), or 40 without. I've had similar struggles to yours, weight gain starting in my 20s blamed on thyroid. With diet and exercise I could lose a few pounds, but never enough. I hovered in the 190s until my late 20s, 210s in my 30s, climbing to 225+ in my 40s. I went to my weight management center that was connected with my hospital network for 6 years starting at age 43 and started with nutrition and lifestyle changes, followed by medical interventions (Contrave, Saxenda, Wegovy when you could get it). I never got below 204, and that was with a strict 1200-1500 calorie diet that I tracked religiously and 10k or more steps daily for a year (I never missed a single day!). As soon as I relaxed even a little, the weight came back with a vengeance. This summer, I hit 251 and also have hypertension and prediabetes (A1c of 5.9) . That was when my weight management doctor (an endocrinologist) finally asked if I wanted to talk to the team on the surgical side.

I'm awaiting insurance approval now. It should be covered though I have no idea about out of pocket expenses. I don't really care at this point. I'll make it work. If you are considering paying out of pocket and concerned at all about going to Mexico (although my brother went that route many years ago and it was fine), I did see a self pay option here: https://www.poundofcureweightloss.com/bariatric-surgery-cost/

I know it's frustrating, and if there's one thing I wish, it's that I had dealt with this when I was turning 40 instead of 50. Wishing you luck!

[Possum220 222]

Have you seen an endocrinologist? Might be worth a look,

[NickelChip 689]

1 hour ago, Possum220 said:

Have you seen an endocrinologist? Might be worth a look,

Yes, for several years. She's the one who suggested getting the surgery.