Your not quite the magic number of pounds for your doctor to even consider you for weight-loss surgery but you want it and you wanted it yesterday. What can you do?
Let’s back up for a minute, weight-loss surgery known as gastric bypass surgery, stomach stapling or any less evasive procedures to produce weight-loss require alot more criteria than being just being uncomfortably over-weight for your doctor to approve and for your insurance company to pay for it. This is not something to take lightly or for the extra 20-some vanity pounds. Any surgery is a risk that could result in infections and even death. A high percentage of all people who have had the procedure done have thought about it and researched the pros and cons typically for at least two years before making the final decision – that’s smart! This is how it generally works – once you’ve done all the research and you know the pros and cons and you’ve discussed it with significant others and you know 100% that this is what you want to handle your weight problem – you’ll have wanted it yesterday! I guarantee it because I lived it!
One good thing about weight-loss surgery for you is that it is a much safer procedure than it was when it first started to be preformed years ago. Hear me again – it is safer now, not safe, as I said that any surgery comes with risks. Many people have lost their lives through trial and error and paved the way for us.
So you already did your research and you know that you want it and you want me to tell you what I know about getting past that scale that says you don’t weigh enough to get approval huh? If you aren’t so lucky to have heavy bones and your doctors new modern scale can tell fat, muscle and water weight so that wearing those ankle weights when you get weighed won’t work, (believe me, this is what some people have told me they have done in the past and it worked for them), then you should know right now what you’ll need to do…first read this article more than once and read between the lines until a light bulb goes off. Second, you will need to know what the insurance company will expect from you. Third, find a doctor who believes in the procedure…if your doctor is against it in anyway then you’ll be fighting an uphill battle. Schedule a physical and make a list of every single thing that your extra weight affects.
Ask yourself the following questions; How does it affect my moods, lifestyle, sex life, emotions, relationships etc? Do I have heartburn a lot, do I have backaches, (of course you do, everyone has backaches and heartburn, right)? Try to think of every single thing you can that you feel that your weight is the cause of it! Do you have a sound sleep? Almost all people who are overweight have sleep apnea to some degree and so do you, so get tested for it and even if you are restless and kick a lot and don’t breath too well during the night of the testing then good for you. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea then accept treatment and try it, usually it’s a c-pap machine…you won’t like it and if you don’t use the c-pap machine they may give you then you’ll need an alternative treatment since sleep apnea can cause a lot of health problems that the insurance company won’t want to pay for down the road.
In the mean-time of waiting for your doctor appointment join Weight-Watchers or a similar weight-loss program and keep records. YOU MUST HAVE PROOF of MONTHLY WEIGH-INS. Was that loud and clear? And you need about 6 months worth showing you tried to loose through a program. I am sure you have a friend who has some old cards from WW that you can fill out with your information or you can join online and get started now. But, this article isn’t how to get it sooner, just though I would throw that piece in as an extra treat.
In conclusion, often, if you have potential serious health problems because of your weight and you have shown that you tried to loose the weight and your doctor is in agreement with you then the insurance company will often approve the surgery. Unfortunately, not all of them will – some insurance companies won’t budge even if you do qualify…be persistent and don’t give up.
