Looking for support

Hi everyone.  My journey started in the summer of '09 when I started having vision blackouts to my right eye.  I even had an episode where I had complete blackness in my right eye for two minutes (very scary!).  Turns out after many doctor visits and tests, I found out I have Intracranial Hypertension which is fancy talk for I have high pressure of cerebral spinal fluid in my head.  This was putting pressure on my optic nerves and causing my eye issues along with terrible headaches, dizziness and things of that nature.  I was told that they don't know what causes it but that women my age who are overweight tend to be the ones who get it and that losing weight would most likely cure it.  Since then I have had to have a spinal tap to relieve the pressure in my head and have to get regular checkups to keep tabs on the pressure on my eyes.  I take a medication daily to try to control the headaches (it doesn't help much) and stabalize the pressure.  My doctor, neurologist, and neuro-opthamologist all agree that either I need to lose the weight or my alternative is probably to get a shunt put in my head.  I fully agree with them and started the WLS process back in April.  I just have my shrink appointments left before I can get my insurance approval.  I am worried I won't get approved because this is my only ailment and it's not the typical thing you see when someone is seeking WLS.  Also I am not "morbidly" obese and I feel guilty for seeking your support but I feel like I got myself in a place I cannot get myself out of without WLS.  I just want to be healthy again and be able to function.   Thanks for listening :)

Jessica

Welcome to the boards.................... Sorry to hear you have so much going on.  Good luck and keep us posted........

  Our journeys may be different but have some similarities, the goal of all of us is better health and a more satisfying life. Welcome to our group,this is a good place to find some encouragement.

Pshhh you deserve to be here. Check out the lightweight board for people who's BMI is under 40. Where are you having your surgery at? Where are you from?

You'll do great! :)

I'm from the Brainerd Lakes Area and hope to have my surgery at MIMIS - Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby, MN.  I have heard wonderful things about their program and am super excited.  I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield Insurance and have many hoops to jump through to get approved but hopefully with the letters of support from my doctors it will help me get the approval that I need.  My insurance only covers so much in-patient hospital stay per year and unfortunately I had to have my gallbladder out in May and had to stay overnight in the hospital which means no WLS for this year but I look at it as more time to give myself to prepare for it (and January is only a few months away already!)  ;)  Thank you so much for the encouragement everyone!  Will keep you posted.

Jessica

 Your headaches and vision problems sound scary.  I'm glad you are pursuing this journey and I hope it resolves your health issues.  Hang out with us all you want--we're here for support, all of us!