Pen Pal-hopefully with Kaiser

Hello everyone! I have been researching WLS for about 3 1/2 to 4 years now, until now have I started to take action. I am 18 years old, I have a bmi of 46.9, I live in Placerville (northern California) and Kaiser is my primary health insurance. I was hoping that someone who has Kaiser wouldn't mind being my pen pal. If your insurance is not Kaiser that is perfectly fine-we can still encourage eachother!! Thanks so much to those *****spond!!! ~Ashley

Ashley, this is the first time I have posted - I am with Kaiser Sacramento - and I saw my PCP about a week and a half ago. I am "only" at a BMI if 42.6 - have some marginal co-morbidity issues - with a genetic history of heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes and diabetes all in my immediate maternal line and back 3 generations. I am 5'1" tall and weigh 218 on a good day. I prefaced my visit to my PCP with a 5-page letter laying out why I thought I was a candidate for WLS accompanied by a page-long list if my weight loss efforts (looked like a yellow page listing of weight loss programs... lol) since I was 15 years old (I'm now 53). My PCP had no problem with referring me forward to the bariatric department - his nurse said they do it all the time. He has started me on a whole range of lab tests - a complete blood panel, a sigmoidoscopy, a questionnaire on sleep apnea (which I don't believe I have, but I am an insomniac - averaging about 4-5 hours of sleep a night on a good night. If you don't mind an "old lady" (a red hatter to boot!) I would love to correspond with you - at 19 I certainly never thought that almost 40 years later I'd still be battling my weight at an even greater level. I've been 200+ lbs for over 20 years. I've been studying WLS for about a year - know I'm at the lowest end of the range for this - and also know I've run out of options for doing it myself. I understand totally your comment about increasing my weight to qualify - a heck of a note, huh? Take care, sweetpea - good luck! And respond if you'd like to! [email protected].

One last comment - I have NO idea if I will be approved - but it is worth the effort on my part to try ... knowing I will develop all or most of the co-morbidities in a full-blown way scares the hell out of me especially after watching my mom deal with diabetes for the last 15+ years - she now takes 5 shots a day to survive. hugs..

HI Ashley, My name is CHelby and I live in Oregon adn have Kaiser as my insurance. So far I havent had any problems but I am a diabetic and I just fouind out I have water around my heart adn my bp is through the roof and I might add i weigh 450+, so my doctor has ok'd me for the WLS. I dotn have to to the pre-qualitfy stuff because of the nature of my health and the problems I am having. So I am waiting for all the I's to be dotted to see what I have to do next. So a littel bit about myslef. I am 39 years old, have been married for 17 years adn Have a 6 year old son. My hobbies are scrapbooking, camping, photography, baking and spending time with my family. So, if you think you would like to be penpals with a fat, tattooed, pierced, sassy. loud mama with an attitude then email me at [email protected] I would be proud to be your friend. Chelby