Question:
HOW CAN I OBTAIN A HIGHER BMI FOR MY FIRST CONSULTATION?

   — CINDY D. (posted on April 1, 2003)

April 1, 2003
gain weight
   — preop_wendyd

April 1, 2003
Higher BMI. This tickled me to read. Lets see.. best thing to start with would be the highest calorie/highest fat food. Hmmm... Try Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream. That is some really wicked stuff! Candy Bars are always a good weight gain tool. Don't forget Mc Donalds (or your fav fast food) Eat this stuff on a regular basis and for goodness sakes DON'T EXERCISE! Keep yourself in a prone position as much as possible. Forgive me for the teasing. In truth, this is pretty much what you need to do. By the way... with your question.. are you saying your BMI needs to be higher to be approved? Laurey/OpenRNY/1-15-03/-44lbs
   — daytymer

April 1, 2003
Or you could put rocks in your pockets before you step on the scale!!
   — Laureen59

April 1, 2003
Eating lots of big meals, rolls of quarters in pockets, wear heels to assure your measured in bare feet, then slouch when being measured. Check your BMI with a inch shorter it moves the numbrer a lot. Wear heavy clothes.
   — Sam J.

April 1, 2003
I see your a real lightweight. You might look into the adjustable band, its being used for lighter weight folks.
   — bob-haller

April 1, 2003
Mama taught me that honesty is always the best policy. just my 2 cents.
   — Delores S.

April 1, 2003
As I understand it, the "40 BMI" requirement is only for those who are 100+ lbs. overweight, with only minimal comorbidities. But most physicians will recommend the surgery if your BMI is at least 35 and you have significant other factors. Your profile says you're at 33.1, but if you are truly over 35 at this point, I don't think you need to worry about making your BMI higher. Sounds to me like you'd already be a candidate. Best of luck! (Lap RNY scheduled for next Friday, 4/11!)
   — momstah

April 1, 2003
Personally, I think 'cheating' to make your BMI higher is pretty wrong. Things like that give people who are trying to get approval and legitimately fight their insurances a bad name. The BMI chart is set for a certain reason, and if you don't meet the criteria without having to cheat, then you really shouldn't expect to gain approval. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but I think cheating is unacceptable.
   — J. Wilkinson

April 1, 2003
I had a 39.5 bmi one month before my consult. Nervouse that my co-morbs wouldnt be enough to approve me for surgery I decided to put on the few extra pounds I needed to bump my bmi up to 40. I drank lots and lots of whole milk. Ate anything I wanted and stopped daily walking. It may not have even been necassary but I wanted this surgery so bad I wasnt going to let a few extra pounds stand in the way. Good luck to you
   — Lindsay F.

April 1, 2003
I have to say that every time I read about this "rocks in the pocket" suggestion I crack up! I mean I just picture someone walking into the doctor's office with their pockets bulging on each side and everybody's looking at them like they have really bad cellulite! Too funny. :-)
   — Leni M.

April 1, 2003
Rocks in pockets? Can you say insurance fraud? If anyone ever found out and your insurance covered it...you could get a 50,000 dollar bill. Honesty is the best and most ethical policy.
   — Sarah S.

April 1, 2003
Unless you can reduce your height few inches, gaining weight is the only way to increase one's BMI. Please explain to me the logic of gaining weight in order to qualify for surgery to lose weight.
   — Kasey

April 1, 2003
Wow, to gain five points on your BMI you would need to gain 20-30 lbs! Have you checked with your ins co? Many allow covererage for WLS with a lower BMI if you have serious comorbidities, which it appears you do. Ask them first, before you do something illegal. And, at the riks of sounding litigious, have you consulted a lawyer about the probs you have had as a result of the diet drug? Seems to me like there was something fishy there...good luck!
   — rebeccamayhew

April 1, 2003
Cindy, I read your profile and if you are indeed at a 35 BMI and have that many co-morbs, you should be approved. If your insurance is saying they will deny you, you have a good chance for appealing. But I beg you, please don't gain weight for this surgery!! With that many co-morbs, things will get worse. How I wish I was a 33-35 right now. I have a BMI of 53 and I cannot walk very well, I have sever swelling for my calfs and ankles, I have high blood pressure and heart desease is rampant in my family. It is not fun to be in my place so don't make an effort to place yourself there-PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU. My heart drops every time I read a post where someone is gaining weight on purpose so there BMI will go up. My heart goes out to you but work with your doctor and have him or her write one hell of a recommendation letter. God bless and keep up your chin. Things will work out for the best, I'm sure.
   — Linda K.

April 1, 2003
Here's the story: My husband has a BMI of 38.5. Our insurance company's criteria for approvaol was to have a BMI of 40 or more. He was denied, and we appealed. We referred to the NIH criteria they used. In the appeal letter I used direct quotes from the NIH consensus statement. His co-morbids include high blood pressure (controlled by meds), elevated blood lipids and on meds to treat this, elevated insulin levels, on meds to treat this, also. He has a very strong family history of diabetes and morbid obesity on both sides. He does not have diabetes or heart disease -yet. Our point was to say that he would be very LIKELY to develop these things and the cost to the insurance company to treat them would be far greater than the cost of surgery! I even included the statement (I wrote the letter for him); "I would hate to think I would need to gain weight in order to have surgery to help me lose weight and ultimately become healthier". The bottom line: he was approved and the insurance company changed the criteria! (Now includes those with a BMI between 35 and 40 and comorbids such as diabetes, sleep apnea "and so forth'! Don't lie or try to cheat. If your surgeon finds out you tried to change you BMI by understating your height or "faking" your weight somehow, he may refuse to do surgery, even if you get approval from your insurance company.
   — koogy

April 1, 2003
Hello - my two cents - wear heavy clothing for your first visit. Heavy pants, like cords or jeans, heavy socks (maybe thick wooly ones), two shirts - a t-shirt and then a heavy sweatshirt, maybe wear sneakers and keep them on when you weigh in. Mark your height as an inch shorter. Good luck!
   — [Deactivated Member]

April 2, 2003
OK, wait a minute here...you're going in for a consultation for weight LOSS surgery, and you want to GAIN weight?? Why?? That doesn't sound too ethical to me. I think there is a pretty good reason for the BMI limits that the doctors have. They don't want you to lose too much weight or have problems with malabsorption. Here is some inspiration for you...I had a starting BMI of 34 and I was told by my PCP that WLS would not be a good option. So I didn't decide to gain up to a BMI of like, 40, I decided to start changing my lifestyle. I stopped eating so much junk and started working out moderately. Trust me, you're only lying to yourself when you try to get the surgery by using unethical methods.
   — Brittany C.

April 2, 2003
I could give your 40 of my BMI points and we would both still qualify!!! Be careful with the slouching if they realize you are an inch shorter than you used to be they might think you have osteoporsis. I'm sorry but it really urks me when people try to finangle things to have this surgery or want to get around a supervised diet requirement.
   — Sarahlicious

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