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I am just starting my journey to a new life



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Hi, my name is Lisa and I have just started my journey to a new and better life. I went to a short seminar and saw a doctor. My BMI is 37 but I may be able to qualify if they can find some co-morbidities. I called my insurance company today, BXBS Federal Employee Program, with the Standard Option. The woman I talked to was unable to clarify co-morbidities for me. The best she could come up with was diabetes, which I don't have, not yet anyway. My father and his brother both had diabetes, as did my mother's father. Both of my mom's parents had hypertension and now my mother has it. I am afraid that eventually I will come down with both diabetes and hypertension if I continue to be overweight. My mother is constantly on diet such as Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig. She loses weight but gains it back right away. I tried Atkins a few years ago, lost 30 pounds, then gained it back.

Is there anyone out there who has my type of insurance? Any experiences to share with me? I have GERD and arthritis in my spine and hips but that's about all I can come up with for co-morbidities.

Thanks for any and all help!!! Lisa

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I don't have the same insurance but here are some more comorbity conditions that may be accepted:

Cardiovascular Disease (High cholesterol, hardening of the arteries or other heart problems)

Diabetes

Hypertension (High Blood pressure)

sleep Apnea

GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)

Degenerative Disk Problems in the back

Degenerative joint problems(hips,knees, ankles and feet)

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Hi Jodi and thanks for the information. This website is SO GREAT for me! I have been reading post after post after post. I called Julian, the person who is trying to get me approved for surgery right after I posted and he said it is looking good for me because I have some of the comorbities necessary for the surgery. The doctor didn't think I would be approved but Julian thinks I will be. Here's my list of comorbidities

High cholesterol

Degenerative Disk Disease with joint facet arthritis

Arthritis in my hips

Stress incontinence

GERD

I have all of that and my doctor didn't think my BMI of 37 would qualify me! Thanks again!!! Lisa

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You are welcome Lisa...looking at your list, things look pretty good for insurance approval. Best of luck!

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I have bcbs federal basic and I spoke to the bariatric nurse with bcbs. She said that anyone with a bmi over 40 (which was me) is approved without having to do anything else. If it is below you need two of the comorbidities which I believe you have based on what you said. Interesting she also told me that you are not required to have a psych evaluation or anything else that everyone else normally has to have because the contract that was done between the federal govt and them. Also, my surgery was approved in two days after it was sent in. My surgeon wanted me to have the psych consult and a letter from my primary care physician clearing me for surgery so I did that and bcbs paid for it.

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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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