Hi I am new here

Hi  I am a new member from Cabot.  I have finally decided to take the steps to see if I quailfy for surgery. I am 37.  I am 5'10 and I weigh 285 lbs.  I have high blood pressure, high chloestrol, sleep apena, and a pacemaker.   I am not sure what type of surgery I am looking at I am a teacher and I have Blue Cross ins so I bet it will be up to them.   I have been trying to lose weight on my own but it seems like a losing battle.   I hope to learn alot from you guys/gals. Jenn

Hi Jenn & welcome to OH! At 5'10 & 285, you have a BMI of a little over 40 (which is considered morbidly obese).  You also have comorbidities (sleep apnea, etc) that are considered conditions caused or exacerbated by obesity. I used Anthem National BCBS & I had no trouble qualifying.  My BMI was about what yours is and I had comorbidities such as sleep apnea as well.  BCBS is different everywhere though, so you never know. The first thing I would suggest is that you request a copy of your insurance policy with regard to WLS in writing.  I did this and was able to see IN WRITING what it would take for me to get approved.  I created a check-list for my insurance and one for my surgeon (because whatever surgeon you get will have his own list of requirements that you must meet before he will agree to do your surgery).  Then I just went down each check list until everything was done.   Dr. Baker's office then submitted everything to my insurance carrier and I was approved in less than 2 weeks (I don't remember exactly how long it took - I think a little over a week.) We are having a support group meeting this coming Thursday from 6 - 8 at Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock.  Some surgeons require that you attend at least 1 support group meeting before they will even schedule a consult with you.  (I know this is one of Dr. Baker's requirements!)  So you might as well come on down Thursday and meet some of us!  I love the support group meetings!  I have been to every single one ever since I decided to have WLS and have been to every single one since my WLS.  (Obviously I think it's important!)   (Getting WLS can be a long process because of all of the "steps" that are involved, both due to insurance and surgeon pre-requisites.  I would suggest that you go ahead and register and fill out Dr. Baker's patient hub at http://www.obesity-surgery.net/index.html - click on New Patient Application.  It does not BIND you to being his patient, but it will get the process started if you decide you DO want to use him.  It will also allow you to print out his bariatric packet from his list of documents so that you can read a little more about bariatric surgery, post-op diets, etc in general.  It will also show you what HIS requirements are before he will give you a consult, which is fairly comparable to what I have heard other surgeons require, so that may be helpful also.)  Good luck and can't wait to meet you! 

Hi Jenni  and welcome to our little corner of the world You'll find lots of support and information here, so don't be afraid to chime right in. Wendy gave you some great information and everyone would give me a bad time if I didn't add my two cent's worth  LOL First of all, attend the Bariatric Support Group on Thursday night. It's open to everyone even if you haven't decided on a specific surgeon or type of surgery. You'll get to meet lots of us as well as get a wealth of information. The meeting is at 6:00 in the Gilbreiath Auditorium, ground floor behind the cafeteria (interesting place to have a meeting for obese folks, huh?). Second, go to Dr Gibbs(my doctor) and Dr Baker's seminars. They are the two surgeons who are certified for the Center of Excellence status at Baptist. There are others in Little Rock, and no offense to them, but there is a reason the majority of bariatric surgeries are done by them. They are the best, and they practice at the best facility. Trust me on this, I had my surgery at "another" hospital and didn't get nearly as good of care as I see at Baptist. There are two books you can get that will help you research. One is Weight Loss Surgery For Dummies, and the other is Weight Loss Surgery; Finding the Thin Person Within. Both can be found used on Amazon.com, or at Barnes and Noble. RNY will give you a more rapid result where Lap Band statistics show the majority of weight is lost slower and over a longer period of time. Of course, there are many other differences, but speaking to the doctors and being well informed will help you make the right decision for you. Good luck in your journey and congratulations for making the decision to take control of your life. We're here for you whenever you need us.

 You've been given some great advice!  I just wanted to say "WELCOME."

There are several surgeries to choose from.  Just do lots of research, find out what your insurance pays for...and choose the right one for you. Here is a good link that shows all the surgeries and compares them all. Hope it helps. Good luck. http://www.lapsf.com/weight-loss-surgeries.html I havent had my surgery yet, but I have chosen the Vertical Gastric Sleeve. I dont think there is just one perfect one...it all depends on the individual and what they are wanting..

Hi Jenn....I am from Cabot too.  I had the RNY in September 2006.  It was a good experience and if you need any advice or have questions please feel free to contact me. You can contact me through my profile and then it will be private and we can exchange info.  Good luck. I used Dr. Gibbs and he knows what he is doing. 

Terri

Hey Terri, How the heck are you????  What a great surprise to see you here, but I'd be willing to bet that your avitar doesn't come close to looking like you anymore! Are you at goal yet, how are your labs doing?  Gosh, we need to catch up my friend.  Now that I'm seeing some of our "oldies" here, maybe it's time for another get together??? Watcha think? Hope all is well in your world, keep in touch Hugs