Newbie Needs Some Advice

Hi, i think you need to focus on your daily diet as well as on your daily exercise routine.

may I respectfully ask,don't you think the OP HAS DONE what you suggested,more than once ,with no lasting results? Your response is like saying you think she doesn't have any sense,sheesh.

do you have. any health issues that would cause Cover Ca to cover you? That is like Medicaid,right? They do cover WLS and you could just give them a call and see if you qualify for coverage first of all.

i see you are a graduate student,but what about a part time job? Lowes and Starbucks are two companies that offer insurance,including WLS coverage to part time employees as well as full.

is it possible to self pay? WLS can be had I'm MX for as little as 6,000 plus travel expenses. 

GL

hollykim,

I am getting a grant that covers my expenses, but I am not allowed to have outside employment. You can get Medicaid, but I do not qualify. I would get an insurance plan with premium assistance. The problem is finding out what is the right plan for my situation. Thank you for your response. I may have to figure out a self-pay if I cannot navigate the insurance options.

yeah that is a bummer. I will add that most individual insurance plans don't cover Wls. They figure most ppl would get the surgery then. Cancel the policy.

GL

I am just jumping in and telling you to never give up on the baby dream.... It took me 14 .........(YES 14) Artificial insems to get my beautiful babies (boy/girl twins in 2008) I was the heaviest I have ever been in my life when I got pregnant....

I know the others here will tell you all the wonderful benefits of DS  .... I just wanted to pipe in about the baby dream! Good luck

Awwww miranda12503 thank you for sharing that with me. I hope that I can have that miracle too!

My own story is so similar to yours. I was banded in 2005 - age 32. I was self pay and was sure it would change my life ... Have always been heavy but at that time I reached my heaviest (375 lbs). It worked great for a year - I lost 125 pounds but started having all sorts of problems. Had to have it repositioned and that didn't help. Fast forward to today -- all my weight is back plus some (395 lbs before surgery) and a year ago I started looking into DS surgery and fighting the insurance battle - which I lost.  I was self pay for a revision surgery - cost me $34000 (this included removing the band). It wasn't easy spending that kind of money on myself or taking out a loan to do it - but with my family's support - I did. I just had surgery on Jan 14 so I can't tell you yet that it's worth it. Of course I have all those same fears of failing since the band didn't work for me. But my surgeon reassured me the lap band has failed many people - so I am looking at this as a new future. 

Its hard I know - it's unfair that so many insurance policies don't pay to help us. They help people who smoke or drink or use drugs - but not obese people.  The Obama Care health plans in WA do not cover WLS - none of them. You can see online what the exclusions are. 

I feel for you and hope you can find the help you need. I had my only daughter when I was roughly 300 lbs so I know it's tough but can be done.  Being obese is such a heavy mental and emotional weight - not just physical. I have been where you are - hang in there and keep looking for options!!  Don't give up!

Melanie74,

Thank you so much for your post. It made me cry girl. I want to get to a healthy place so bad, but I know the physical is not the only thing that needs to be changed. You are so right that being obese is so heavy mentally and emotionally. Please keep me updated. I hope to hear that it was worth it!