my weight

okay, so I weigh 362 lbs. I want weight loss surgery. I read that the heavier you are the more complications there are. So I want to lose weight before surgery, you know, if my insurance covers it. But anyways, if I lose a lot of weight before my surgery, wont they say NO I cant have it since I lost all that on my own? Wont they turn me down because of me losing you know maybe 50 lbs on my own now? So far I have lost 9 pounds and plan on losing more.

Priscilla

 no--they will see that you are serious about getting the surgery. and you are right, the more you can lose before surgery the safer it will be.  I lost 42 before surgery and they were very happy about that.  good luck on your journey--it's hard but so worth it!!

Wanda

It depends.  The first thing you need to do is call your insurance company and ask them to send you the coverage descriptions for weight loss surgery and the requirements you must meet to qualify.  GET IT IN WRITING.  If your plan does not cover it, it will not do you any good to appeal it.

Follow what they tell you to the letter.  Make a checklist.  If you do what is required and you meet the qualifications, you will likely be approved.

Don't stop the positive changes you are making now.  Also, start exercising.  It makes it easier for an obese person to recover from surgery/anesthesia if you are more physically fit.

Remember, this journey is not about "being skinny".  You can lose weight and get to a magical goal number and still be the same unhealthy person you were at over 300 lbs....just a smaller version.  This journey is about restoring your health--becoming the healthiest you that you can be by eating quality, nutritious food and moving your body.

I wish you much success, please let me know if I can help in any way.

Kim

No, they actually recommend it. it makes surgery easier and helps with shrinking your liver so the size of the liver doesn't prevent them from doing the operation.


You should call your insurance company and ask what your requirements are for bariatric surgery approval. If you do lose weight on your own before your procedure it help show that you can maintain the diligence in the the program after surgery.

You BMI is still pretty high even with 50 lbs off and typically they always use you starting BMI to qualify you.

I am 16 and my insurance requires a 6 month supervised diet program. I am in one that meets monthly and it teaches us how to eat after surgery, habits to develop, exercise, and how to intergrate ourselves back into solid foods again. It also helps us find vitamin and protein supplements.

thank you all for the comments! I will keep trying to lose more and more weight. Thank you!

 My consultation weight was 331 on 12/1/09 and I lost 50 pounds by my RNY surgery on 3/22/10 (I ate 1200 calories a day). I am 5'3''. I have Aetna HMO insurance and my BMI was still high enough to qualify for surgery. You should be fine.

Your surgeon should take your starting weight (the weight that you walked into his office for your first visit) as your starting weight. Whatever you lose between then and surgery is just icing.

Good luck to you!

you might want to consider at least doing your initial consult before you loose alot of weight. the paperwork the dr submits should have your "starting weight", what you actually weighed on your initial visit. On the day of my surgery, I didn't even weigh enought to qualify for WLS, I lost about 30 lbs between my 3 month supervised diet and my liquid pre-op diet.