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Hi guys.... I am new.....I am 51 and weigh about 220....5ft.2.75 inches.....so about 100 lbs. over... I am mostly just looking for general info..... Has anyone tried the Rx available diet pills before trying surgery? How did they work for you? Did you or your Doctor bring up the idea of surgery first? What approach did you use with your doctor...as in Primary Care..... I would be interested in what most Insurance Co.s would consider as "medically necessary" to pay for surgery. Any and all info is welcomed. Thanks...Linda

Linda, Welcome to the forum, you will find us warm and willing to share. I am 50 and as you can see had my surgery on 8/24/05 326 starting out and now at 251. Many yrs ago I tried to old "good" weight loss drugs that are no longer on the market and had some degree of success but always had to go off of them due to the expense and always gained every pound back and then some. The latest one was Meridia which is still available. It took me 4 months to loose 16 pounds and it left me with an irregular heart beat. My Dr. had suggested the surgery for me long before we tried the Meridia but my insurance at that time did not cover it. Once I learned my insurance would did cover the surgery I had no problem getting her referral letter, she was very proactive in helping me get the surgery. I had no other health problems but qualified due to BMI alone. I had United Health Care Options PPO and I have paid out of pocket for the actual surgery about 700.00. I had to pay alot more than that for my 10% of all the test I had before the surgery that were not done in the Dr's office. Endoscopy, colonoscopy, chest exray, several ultrasounds etc. You name it I had the test. My Internist is VERY throuough! My internist had other patients who have had the surgery and she knows what info the insurance requires to be medically necessary. Hope this helps! Good Luck. Judye

I tried the diet pills Phentermine (NOT fen fen) and they worked initially, then as my body got used to them, I had to take more and more to get the same effect, finially got to where the doctor would not prescribe any higher of a dose. At that point they bascially stopped working for me and the 40 some pounds I lost all came back with a vengence within about 2 months and then some! I approached my doctor about weight loss surgery after researching it for over a full year. I was his first bariatric patient so we have learned together. When I approached him, I was armed to the teeth with FACTS about the surgery, etc. So he was fully supportive. Medically necessary (for Tricare) consisted of your doctor saying "my patient requires this surgery" written in a letter basically. That makes it medically needed. Good luck to you! Kia 5'9" 284/174/155

Welcome to you new friends and support that awaits you. You'll soon will be very addicted to this site. I have done the phen-phen when I was 19 or 20 something. I tried Adipex and Xenical. But when I went off them I jsut gained it back plus some. I brought it up with my fabulous PCP. Dr. John Earle in Carrollton. I have been his patient and he has prescribed the meds for me and I just told him I really wanted it and begged him not to make me get on my knees and beg. I had my PCP put all my symptoms that I have and made him put that it was medically necessary on it. I would call him (his secretary) and tell them I needed orders for certain labs, Chest X-rays, EKG, and referrals to the nutrician at Carrollton Tanner's dietitian, and my Psych eval. They would let me pick up the stuff (orders and letters) within that same day called to 24 hours. I love my Doctor. He's the best. I am on Medicaid and they will pay for it if it is medically necessary. And my info has been sent to be approved I am in the waiting process. Your more than welcome to email me since I am right here in Villa Rica and if you have questions I will try my best or refer you to the messageboard, if I can't answer it. Don't be shy. Congrats on taking that step if you are. Heather Stine Heather

Hi, Linda, I am 47 years old, so we are both baby boomers. I also had 100 pounds to lose. I believe I have tried every available diet pill. The first time, I lost 45, but gained 60. After the initial loss, none of the pills really worked for me, not even phen fen. I just continued the yo-yo effect. My insurance required six months of the newer medications before approval. My hair dresser mentioned the idea of surgery to me. She had the RNY surgery too. She had watched me lose and gain repeatedly. From the first time I mentioned the possibility to my primary care doc, she supported me. She knew what my insurance required and took me through the loops. I think she was horrified that I had gained 90 pounds in under six months. I was beginning to have health issues (diabetes, high blood pressure). Unfortunately, the State Merit, Blue Choice HMO plan no longer covers the operation. I am not sure about insurers who cover. I would do it again in a second. I started with insurance. I had names of surgeons with me when I went to my primary care physician. Hope this helps! Hugs, Becky