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Contemplating Surgery....



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Well I just joined the site today because over the weekend my Mom offered to pay for me to have the surgery. :thumbup:I told her I wanted to do some research before I even had a consult, so here I am!

I can't find the thread I read earlier but someone responded to a question saying that they don't usually perform the surgery for someone with a BMI under 40,:( is that the case with all doctors? I'm in Austin, TX has anyone had the surgery over my way?

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Hi, and welcome to LBT. What a great mom you have!

If you have insurance that covers weight loss surgery, often times they require you to have one or two documented medical problems (sleep apnea, high bp, diabetes, to name a few) besides obesity if your bmi is under 40. I think a bmi of 35 is usually the lower end cutoff.

I was self pay and my bmi was under 40 but over 35, and I had no other medical issues and had no problem qualifying for the surgery. I'm not in Texas though, but that seems to usually be the norm.

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Well luckily I don't have any health problems, but I know that is a strike against me. I'm 25, 5'6", 210 lbs, with a BMI of 34. I read some people gained weight, but crap! I don't want to gain and have to loose more! My insurance ends at the end of this year so I know they won't pay for it. So it would definitely be an out of pocket expense.

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Since you're self pay, talk to a local surgeon about the bmi requirement. Also, if you're a bit under 5'6", round down, even if by half an inch. You're close, so if you're scales are a bit off that could factor in.

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And wear jeans and a sweater to the office! That would add a couple of pounds

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And wear jeans and a sweater to the office! That would add a couple of pounds

Especially if the pockets are full of coins and other heavy objects :):lol:

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LOL, coins...right on!

In my research I found doctors can do basically whatever they want if they don't have to go through medical insurance. Those requirements about weight and BMI are insurance requirements mostly. I read someone on here had a BMI of 35 and had it done in Mexico, it only about 8 grand...my insruance paid double!

Good luck!

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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.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • 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.

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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
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      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
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