Gaining 30 pounds...

I talked to the Bariatric Specialist at my surgeons office and she told me that I needed to gain 30 pounds in order for my insurance to approve me.  I am so frustrated because all my life I have been struggling to loose weight and now I have to gain it.  Well, to most of you it probably sounds easy as pie, but it's not.  When I wanna loose I gain and then when I NEED to gain I loose.  What is going on with my body?!  I am eating anything and everything I want and have gained only 6 pounds, but then I turned right around and lost 4.  So that puts me at 212.  Still needing to gain another 28 pounds.  How in the world do I do this?  At the rate I'm going it will be FOREVER before I get to have my surgery.  Is there something I can get from GNC that will help me gain weight.  Like maybe a powder drink or a pill or something?  I mean, what do skinny ppl do when they need to gain weight?  I had an appt with my surgeon on the 31st of this month, but they had to reschedual me for the 7th of April.  I was a little upset, but now I realize that it will just give me more time to gain that extra weight.  So, I'm hopeing to gain 10 pounds in the next two weeks.  Is that unrealistic?

Thanks in Advance,
JoAnna
 

Wow... I must say we usually see requests needing help with losing.. so this is a new one for me to try to help one gain... well, other than those who lost too much and need to regain.
First I have a question for you... Is your surgeon certain your insurane will approve this IF you do gain the weight? I'd really hate to see you gain it to get the surgery, then be denied! That would be traumatic. 30 lbs is a lot! Just please check with your surgeon to be sure this will happen for you if you do gain. Some insurance companies require lots of co-morbidities to approve it, some just like to fight you on it.

With that said, there are ways of putting on weight. There are high carb protein drinks that body builders and really skinny people use to gain wieght. You'd need to llook at a health food store, and maybe even ask questions. You can always say you are looking into it for a loved one. There are also the ensure PLUS drinks available, they were designed to be packed with calories and nutrition for those who need to gain weight to get to a healthy weight.

i wish you the best of luck in your journey to get healthy and reduce your weight. (in the end anyhow..lol)
Welcome to our group!

Patrece,

I hate to say this, but no I'm not sure about my surgeon and rather he thinks insurance will approve it becuase I have not actually had my first consult with him yet.  I will on April 7th. However; I have talked back and forth several times with his  Bariatric Specialist (Who has had the surgery-RNY herself) and she is the one telling me to gain the weight.  She deals with insurance on a regular basis and knows my specific insurance and knows what they require.  I trust her opinion because I know that she has had lots of ppl in my situation.  She told me that she had one lady that needed to gain 40 lbs.  That lady went out and gained 45 in two weeks.  How in the world is that possible? lol  Should I talk to the surgeon about needing to gain 30 lbs?  The bariatric specialist told me not to tell the ppl at the seminar that I needed to gain the 30 lbs so I'm wondering if that includes the surgeon because he was there also.   

Thanks for your advice!  I really appreciate it. 

This is the first time I've ever heard of a doctor ecouraging a patient to gain weight and truthfully I'm a little uncomfortable with it.  Don't you have any comorbidities that will "make up for" you lower weight?  Just curious.

Colleen

Donsharleygirl,

Thanks for giving your opinion.  I do have to say that I kind of agree with you.  However;  I'm not sure if I have any co-morbids at all.  I do have high cholesterol and  joint pain in my hips, but I'm not sure if either of them qualify as a co-morbid.     

Hi JoAnna,

I would look online to see exactly what your insurance requires to be eligible, gaining weight seems odd.  What is your BMI?  Any high blood pressure, family history of weight related diseases that you could be trying to prevent?

My smart aleck answer is to not empty your pockets before stepping on the scale, carry the heavy keys, rocks, etc.

Work on exercise, muscle weighs more than fat tissue, drink up on fluids before heading to the scale.  Let us know what you find out about insurance.  I am wondering???

Glad to meet you and welcome to the group.  Hugs

Kathy,

My insurance (Tricare Prime) requires that my BMI is 35 or over with atleast 2 co-morbidities or that I weigh 200% of my ideal body weight. 

I'm not even sure what 200% of my ideal body weight would be.  I do know that my ideal body weight for my bone structure is 140lbs tho.  Do you know how to figure out the 200% thing?  Anyway, I am probably no where near that and shouldn't even be thinking about it.   

My current BMI is 35.3 just barely over 35....I know.  I think I might have some co-morbidities, but I'm just not sure.  I don't have high blood pressure.  Yes, I have family weight related diseases.  Both of my parents are diabetics, my mom has high blood pressure and my dad has high cholesteral.  That's probably not all, but that's all I know about for now.  I will have to ask them and see what else there is.  

I like what you said about exercise, drinking the fluids, and heavy keys/rocks...(that was funny).

Thanks for your advice!
JoAnna  

joanna, i don't really know how to put this, but here goes.  for a doctor's  office to tell a patient to gain weight so they can get a surgery that is risky and life changing is irresponsible.  this surgery does change your life and it is not the easy way out in order to lose weight.  it is life saving for those who have comorbities and are grossly overweight, but it does come at a price.  your diet will be changed for life. your body will be changed and you will need to have supplements just to stay alive.  it is not something to be done lightly.  i have lost 150 lbs and i am glad, but i would rather  to not have to rely on supplements, laxatives and many other changes.  i am glad i lost the weight and i needed to or i would not live as long.  if i had a way to lose the weight without the surgery, and i was geniuly not in a life threatening situation (which i was though) i would not have had the surgery. please talk to your surgeon and do not try to gain until you have spoken to him. also tell him of the lady who advised you to do this and to keep quite about it around other people. if the surgeon recommends i gain 30 lbs in order to qualify for insurance, i would get a second opinion.   please do some heavy thinking on this and exhaust all other options available to you.  i don't want this to sound like i don't appreciate what the surgery has done for me,  i will always be grateful for the life changing (the positive ones) things that have happened for me.  please take care. vick

Vickie,

I must first say Congrats on your weight loss.....that's amazing!!!

I sure hope you don't think that I'm trying to take the "easy" way out because I'm definitely not doing that.  I have been on so many diets and exercise programs that it's way to many to even count anymore.  I have been overweight my entire life.  My parents and sister and grandparents are all WAY overweight.  It's in my blood.  No matter what I have tried it has always failed me.  Sure I take the weight off, but it always comes back on with more to follow.  I'm very aware of the supplements and the body changes, but it's all worth it to me.  Right now I'm afraid of dying of obesity and I've got three little girls and a husband to think about.  It's not about me...it's about being around for them.  It's all about health and quality of life.  I feel like I have exhausted ALL of my other options.  There is nothing left that I haven't tried except for weight loss surgery.  I hope you do understand my way of thinking.  Thank you very much for your concern.

Patrece,

I totally agree with you about gaining all this weight and then not getting to have the surgery.  I am worried about it too, but the bariatric specialist says that she has "ways" of getting the insurance company to approve the surgery.  I don't know......I'm torn now.....I don't know what to do.

All I can say is thank you both again for your advice....I will take it to heart.  :) 

joann, i don't think you are trying to take the easy way out, i'm sorry if i gave that impression.   i'm just really concerned about the quality of a surgeon and/or his staff for this type of behavior. i don't know if they have told you all the down sides of this surgery.  i will be glad to encourage you in any way i can with a diet like we do like patrece suggested, that sounds like a very viable option.  believe me, we know all the tricks  on weight loss. lol  good luck to you in no matter what you decide to do. vick