Question:
Has anyone ever been told that they where not obese enough to have the open RYN?
I know this might be a silly question, but my heart is breaking. I am 5ft 1inch and I am almost 200 lbs. My BMI (if I figured it right) is 37.5. I realise that maybe I don't have as much to lose as some of you wonderful people at this site, But!!!!!! My extra weight is as uncomfortable to me as maybe someone elses would be to them. I recieved a referral from my GP to go see the surgeon in Mich. When I called to have the clinic send me the info I needed to be able to set up a consultation, they told me that they didn't feel I was over weight enough to be considered. I also have co-mobidities. Hypertension 240/140. This is about what it normally runs, even on meds. I also am manic-depressive, also on meds. I have had heart problems in the past. I have had three major surgeries due to health problems. Is there anyone out there that has come across the same problems as myself? If so, please contact me at [email protected] I would greatly appreciate any help, or answers you might have on the subject. Thanks or listening, and hope you all have a wonderful day!!!!! — P.K. M. (posted on May 27, 2000)
May 28, 2000
HI,
I had surgery with a BMI of 35. My BMI was 36.5 when I went for my initial
consultations. I went to three different weight loss clinics before I
chose a surgeon - all three clinics said I was a very good candidate for
the surgery. The general guidelines for WLS are that you are considered a
candidate if your BMI is greater than 35 and you have comorbidities; if
your BMI is greater than 40 you are a candidate even if you have no
comorbidites.
Call another clinic or call back that clinic and ask for clarification of
their criteria. Chances are you might have reached a telephone answer
person who is not that knowledgeable.
— Jennifer L.
May 28, 2000
5/30/00
I'm also going through the Bariatric Treatment Center in Michigan and when
I first called to check on the surgery, my weight was 216 lbs and I'm
5'1". The patient represetative I spoke to on the phone told me that
I had to be 220 lbs. to be considered for the surgery. She said that, as I
went throough the process, I'd be weighed on every visit and that, if I
didn't weigh 220, I wouldn't qualify. This may sound very strange, but I
thought, well, I can either lose 94 lbs. on my own, or I could gain six
pounds and qualify for the surgery. I decided to gain the six pounds and
it was so easy, it was scary. It was just a matter of eating
"normally", ie, regular coke instead of diet, or allowing myself
to eat snacks I would normally try to avoid. By the time my appointment
came up, I weighed in at 227 lbs. For myself, losing the 94 lbs. would have
been impossible and I knew from experience that I would just regain it in
the future.
— [Anonymous]
May 28, 2000
Yes...I'm going through the same thing...trying to gain weight so that I
qualify to lose weight. It feels like the stupidest thing I have ever
done. I lost about 120 pounds teo years ago on (yet another) medically
supervised fast. I kept it off for over a year by strict adherence to a
very aggressive exercise and food program, but when family problems took my
attention away from diet for awhile, the fat gleefully started to jump back
on. The fist person I spoke to in my surgeon's office told me that I
definately would not qualify for the surgery and that my pcp probably
wouldn't even refer me. Like the previous post, all I had to do to gain
weight was to stop dieting...and in the month it took to get an appointment
with my pcp, I gained almost 20 pounds (without trying!) Now I am waiting
for the consultation with my surgeon, and I am really feeling awful, my
back is killing me and my knees hurt so bad I can barely get up the stairs
in my house, but I am afraid to stop gaining. I am just at 40
|BMI...depending on how it's Calc'd. I am 5' 1/2 inch, and if you round
the 1/2 inch down, I am over 40...if you round it up, I am under 40. Does
anyone know the 'right' way to do it? I REALLY don't want to have to gain
more, I just feel terrible. I even bought a ten pound weight belt, but I
will probably be chicken to wear it to my consultation. I'm very
depressed.
— [Anonymous]
May 28, 2000
Hi! While I, unfortunately, did not have the problem of not weighing
enough, I have heard of a few folks being turned down for their weight.
Technically, you are supposed to be 100 pounds or more overweight and/or
have a BMI greater than 40. However, a lot of surgeons I have heard will
take people with a BMI between 35 and 40 provided you have co-morbidities,
as you do. Your blood pressure is very high. This should help you in your
quest for WLS. Shop primary care physicians if you have to who will
strongly recommend you for the surgery and then shop surgeons if you have
to. They all have slightly different requirements, but your medical
history should help you even though your weight is "technically"
not enough.
Good Luck!
— Carla I.
May 29, 2000
Hi, I had to share my experience of being considered "not fat
enough", exact words from the resident at my doctor's office. When I
first began exploring the option of WLS, I went to my PCP and saw the
resident doctor for that appointment. At this appointment she told me that
the surgeon they refered patients to probably wouldn't consider me for WLS
because under his criteria I "wasn't fat enough". Mind you, I
weighed 251 pounds and was only 5'2". So for her to tell me that I
wasn't fat enough was quite devastating. She agreed to give me the
referal, under the assumption that I would also see a dietician and
consider taking Meridia. I agreed, just to get the referal. As the day of
that appt. got closer, I got more nervous about being told I wasn't going
to qualify for the surgery under that particular surgeon's guidelines. I
ended up calling and cancelling my appointment w/ that surgeon and found
the surgeon I ultimately used for my surgery. I made my appointment w/ him
and then went to my PCP for a referal to him, this way they couldn't say
no. Although, this time I saw the physicians assistant and of course she
gave me the usual speal about how the majority of the people who have
surgery end up gaining the weight back and that there are so many
complications with it. I nodded my head and asked for the referal, telling
her I completely understood my risks that were associated w/ this surgery.
Reluctantly, she gave me the referal...10 months later I am 113 pounds
lighter and ENJOY walking through my doctor's office "showing
off" how great I look now. Even the nurses that tried to talk me out
of surgery can't believe how well I have done w/ surgery. One of them has
even GAINED a lot of weight since I first went to them for my referal and
constantly tells me that I look good as a small woman =)...what goes around
comes around...My best advice to you would be to stand your ground and
explain to the surgeon or PCP that you have co-morbities that could and
more than likely be cured w/ WLS. Stand firm and hold your ground...Good
Luck to you....
— Marni
July 17, 2002
Right now I'm in the process of my HMO going into effect before I go to my
PCP to get the referral. I'm also borderline. If I tell the doc I'm
5'9" my BMI is 39.4, if I say 5'8" (which I'm not) its 40.6. I'm
trying to gain weight before I see my PCP and I will also try the roll of
quarters in the pocket trick.
— Clay T.
July 17, 2002
You know this scares me. I mean if you are talking 5 or 10 pounds I would
say sure, eat a bucket of chicken and go back, but please consider this is
MAJOR surgery. The requirements and pretest are not there to hurt us but
to insure the paitent needs to and hopefully can go through the surgery
safely. I am not a Miss Goody two shoes, but if you have to carry things
in your pockets, and lie to your doctor to get this surgery, I would think
twice. Good Luck, whatever you decide to do.
— Pam G.
July 17, 2002
It seems that with your comorbidities, especially the
hypertension and heart problems, you would be considered
a candidate. I would get another opinion, or insist on a
consultation with a doctor. Good luck.
— Ginger N.
August 27, 2002
Yes I was told not over weight enough... oh my god. Im 5'4 and 330lbs plus
and my BMI is 58.4. Im going back to my doctor with a load of research and
a list of what I suffer from for being 200lbs over weight. I feel Im being
discriminated against because of the insurance I have.Which is
Access/medplus. Im going to fight it till the very end when I get approved.
— Elaine C.
Click Here to Return