Questions and more questions :)

Hi all. My Dr. told me last week that I might want to start researching having some type of surgery for my weight. After researching this and other websites, I have a few questions for those out there. 1. What the final straw if you will that convinced you to go ahead and have surgery? I have tried WW a couple of times to lose weight and when I can stick to it I can lose it but I always have issues staying on the plan. I guess that is one thing that I worry about having the surgery is just sticking with the diet. 2. Insurance. I am attending the introductory seminar at St. Joe East in May where I am assuming they will cover insurance and stuff. My question is really kind of simple. Does your insurance cover it? The reason I ask is that my HR person ask about it and they said no, but then came back and said that no insurance covers it anymore. That just didn't sound right to me so I thought I would come here and ask. Thanks. dj

Hey there DJ, I, like you, have done the WW thing several times!!  It worked great until I would quit!   I'm not sure I had a breaking point for deciding to have WLS.  I knew I wanted it for a few years but thought we couldn't afford it so I never looked into it.  My mother and a few other acquaintances have the lapband so I have seen their successes (and failures) over the last 3 or 4 years and was always envious.  Our insurance policy doesn't cover it though so I never got serious about it.  Then last year my sister had gastric bypass and I was whining to my hubby that I guess I'll be the token fat chick at our family gatherings from now on.  I guess he took pity on me at that point and decided that we both would pursue lapband regardless of insurance coverage!  We ended up taking the $$ out of our home equity! As far as your HR person's comment she's just completely WRONG.  There are MANY insurance companies that cover WLS.  Unfortunately though, it sounds like you're may be one of them that doesn't.   Keep researching your options and look at all of the types of WLS there is and see if one appeals to you more than the others (all types have their pros and cons).  It is also likely that you may decide that WLS just insn't for you!  If you decide to go forward then you can investigate the financial aspects.  I am so thankful that my hubby and I didn't let our non-covered insurance status stop us!  We may have another bill to pay for a long time but we have added to our health and longevity so I consider it PRICELESS!!

I had considered WLS for years but always talked myself out of it.  It was a culmination of so many factors both mental and physical that led me to my decision.  There was an incident that could be considered 'the last straw', but really, it just felt right to me....finally.  I knew in my heart that it was time.   As far as sticking to the diet.....yes, you have to still watch what you eat after surgery or risk regain.  It's a lifelong process.   It's something that I also worried about before surgery and something I still worry about now.  BUT....let me just say that if you commit yourself to having major surgery, that's such a huge step to take that really, for me, I can't imagine not following 'the plan' to stay healthy afterward.....whi*****ludes eating properly.    Part of this process is figuring out why we eat the way we do or we'll continue or go back to eating the same way after surgery.  I know I have to be very careful or I'll go back to old habits of stress eating, or boredom eating, etc.   Like I said, this is a lifelong process....but don't worry...there is a learning curve! For the insurance part of your question......I'd call the customer service number on the back of your card and ask them specifically if weight loss surgery  is an exclusion on your specific policy.  They'll know.  If it's an exclusion, then they will NOT cover the surgery.   Personally, my insurance does cover the surgery.  And honestly, I thought that more and more insurance companies were starting to cover it....but maybe I'm mistaken.  

   Hi. Im sorry I cant remeber the name u signed on with. I. like the others, have done weigh****chers multiple times. I would do ok for awhile then backslide.. This I can do.. My band and I rock together..   My eye opening moment?? Im not really sure. I think seeing my sister and all her health problems from her weight. I decided I wanted to run and chase my kid and play with her like her dad does. I didnt want to be the fat mom anymore.   My insurance did pay. some places do have riders against weightloss. my husbands workplace has that rider, He lost a coworker to obesity because of that rider.     Im seeing more and more companies cover it due to it be a huge problem in the states now!!!  Im glad you are researching and hope it works for you!!! If you have any questions please feel free to ask. dawn

Hi and welcome!  I know everyone has a reason to have this surgery. Here is mine. I have two daughters and a boyfriend that all love to go to theme parks. Well right before we moved from Florida and back to Indiana we went to Busch Gardens in Tampa. My kids wanted to ride every roller coaster in the place before we moved. We would a year pass each year and take them alot! Well, Aubrey had one roller coaster that she wanted to ride and Dale would not ride it with her because it was the highest one in the park and suspended at that. So after listening to her beg and plead I broke down and got on with her. Little did she or the attendant know, but I could not fit into the seat correctly. I had to sit more sideways, leaning over and putting my arm around her, which is what they thought I was doing! I had to pull the bars down so hard when they lowered them to lock them that I had black bruises when I got off. I never let on to anyone because I did not want to disappoint my kids. I was too fat to ride and never should have. When we started out I was ok...just in pain, but when we hit that first hill and I felt myself trying to come up out of the seat I freaked. I held onto that bar over my torso with everything I had and did not let go. I was so thankful by the end of the ride. And sore! That was when I would never ride again until I could sit in a seat like normal. Well...after three years of Holiday World and not being able to ride rides...I got fed up and decided I did not want to be like this. I was tired and depressed. My daughter took a pic of me one day with her new camera and when I saw it I cried. I was just like one of those obese people I would see that looked like they were drowning in their own body and fat! I had been doing PT for a back injury and had to stop it because I could not breathe when in traction. My own fat was suffocating me and I did not even realize it til I saw this pic! I hated myself! I was ashamed of being so weak I could not even control my own weight! So I started researching and on Oct29, 2007 I had my lap band done. I have lost approx 35-40 lbs and alot of inches. I have jeans that literally fall off me, tops that are no longer tight...it is amazing and its because I did this for me!  I always tell my friends when they talk about being miserable in their relationships or with kid problems that once they get an assful of it they will do something about it......well mine was overflowing honey! So I did the surgery and am Thankful everyday I did. Yes I get impatient, but its a learning process of what works and what doesn't.

Call your insurance company yourself and see what they say about weight loss surgery.. Don't relay on HR person, cause they do not know everything about your inurance needs...

I had my surgery at St Joe East! It was a great experience :) Jennifer

I would call my insurance provider personally and skip the HR person who may either not be supportive of the surgery or simply doesn't have a clue... My husband is waiting for insurance approval now.  My insurance covered it and being involved with many bariatric surgeons around the area I can tell you there are tons of folks who are covered.  I called our insurane provider and ask..the year before it didn't cover the surgery, but does now.  Be your own advocate and do the research yourself, never trust anyone else with answers.  Good luck!!

Thanks for all of the information. Yes I am going to call the insurance company and find out for sure. The biggest reason I was asking about the insurance was because my HR person wanted to know. We have open enrollment coming up and she wanted to know so she can make the best decision concerning our insurance for the next year. I am still researching it and with three boys I can understand about wanting to go out with them and play. Thanks and I will update after my meeting a week from Monday. :) dj

Just wanted to touch base here in the forum but I still hadn't made it to the meeting at St. Joe East. I have had two tball games come up on the same day as the last two meetings and now have to call them again to reschedule. Also we are in open enrollment with insurance and will get more information on Monday. I know we are getting new insurance. I think we are going with United Health Care but not for sure just yet. dj