Question:
HOW CAN I OBTAIN A HIGHER BMI FOR MY FIRST CONSULTATION?
— CINDY D. (posted on April 1, 2003)
April 1, 2003
gain weight
— preop_wendyd
April 1, 2003
Higher BMI. This tickled me to read. Lets see.. best thing to start with
would be the highest calorie/highest fat food. Hmmm... Try Ben &
Jerry's Ice Cream. That is some really wicked stuff! Candy Bars are always
a good weight gain tool. Don't forget Mc Donalds (or your fav fast food)
Eat this stuff on a regular basis and for goodness sakes DON'T EXERCISE!
Keep yourself in a prone position as much as possible. Forgive me for the
teasing. In truth, this is pretty much what you need to do. By the way...
with your question.. are you saying your BMI needs to be higher to be
approved? Laurey/OpenRNY/1-15-03/-44lbs
— daytymer
April 1, 2003
Or you could put rocks in your pockets before you step on the scale!!
— Laureen59
April 1, 2003
Eating lots of big meals, rolls of quarters in pockets, wear heels to
assure your measured in bare feet, then slouch when being measured. Check
your BMI with a inch shorter it moves the numbrer a lot. Wear heavy
clothes.
— Sam J.
April 1, 2003
I see your a real lightweight. You might look into the adjustable band, its
being used for lighter weight folks.
— bob-haller
April 1, 2003
Mama taught me that honesty is always the best policy. just my 2 cents.
— Delores S.
April 1, 2003
As I understand it, the "40 BMI" requirement is only for those
who are 100+ lbs. overweight, with only minimal comorbidities. But most
physicians will recommend the surgery if your BMI is at least 35 and you
have significant other factors. Your profile says you're at 33.1, but if
you are truly over 35 at this point, I don't think you need to worry about
making your BMI higher. Sounds to me like you'd already be a candidate.
Best of luck! (Lap RNY scheduled for next Friday, 4/11!)
— momstah
April 1, 2003
Personally, I think 'cheating' to make your BMI higher is pretty wrong.
Things like that give people who are trying to get approval and
legitimately fight their insurances a bad name. The BMI chart is set for a
certain reason, and if you don't meet the criteria without having to cheat,
then you really shouldn't expect to gain approval. Sorry if this sounds
harsh, but I think cheating is unacceptable.
— J. Wilkinson
April 1, 2003
I had a 39.5 bmi one month before my consult. Nervouse that my co-morbs
wouldnt be enough to approve me for surgery I decided to put on the few
extra pounds I needed to bump my bmi up to 40. I drank lots and lots of
whole milk. Ate anything I wanted and stopped daily walking. It may not
have even been necassary but I wanted this surgery so bad I wasnt going to
let a few extra pounds stand in the way. Good luck to you
— Lindsay F.
April 1, 2003
I have to say that every time I read about this "rocks in the
pocket" suggestion I crack up! I mean I just picture someone walking
into the doctor's office with their pockets bulging on each side and
everybody's looking at them like they have really bad cellulite! Too
funny. :-)
— Leni M.
April 1, 2003
Rocks in pockets? Can you say insurance fraud? If anyone ever found out and
your insurance covered it...you could get a 50,000 dollar bill. Honesty is
the best and most ethical policy.
— Sarah S.
April 1, 2003
Unless you can reduce your height few inches, gaining weight is the only
way to increase one's BMI. Please explain to me the logic of gaining weight
in order to qualify for surgery to lose weight.
— Kasey
April 1, 2003
Wow, to gain five points on your BMI you would need to gain 20-30 lbs!
Have you checked with your ins co? Many allow covererage for WLS with a
lower BMI if you have serious comorbidities, which it appears you do. Ask
them first, before you do something illegal. And, at the riks of sounding
litigious, have you consulted a lawyer about the probs you have had as a
result of the diet drug? Seems to me like there was something fishy
there...good luck!
— rebeccamayhew
April 1, 2003
Cindy, I read your profile and if you are indeed at a 35 BMI and have that
many co-morbs, you should be approved. If your insurance is saying they
will deny you, you have a good chance for appealing. But I beg you, please
don't gain weight for this surgery!! With that many co-morbs, things will
get worse. How I wish I was a 33-35 right now. I have a BMI of 53 and I
cannot walk very well, I have sever swelling for my calfs and ankles, I
have high blood pressure and heart desease is rampant in my family. It is
not fun to be in my place so don't make an effort to place yourself
there-PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU. My heart drops every time I read a post where
someone is gaining weight on purpose so there BMI will go up. My heart
goes out to you but work with your doctor and have him or her write one
hell of a recommendation letter. God bless and keep up your chin. Things
will work out for the best, I'm sure.
— Linda K.
April 1, 2003
Here's the story: My husband has a BMI of 38.5. Our insurance company's
criteria for approvaol was to have a BMI of 40 or more. He was denied, and
we appealed. We referred to the NIH criteria they used. In the appeal
letter I used direct quotes from the NIH consensus statement. His
co-morbids include high blood pressure (controlled by meds), elevated blood
lipids and on meds to treat this, elevated insulin levels, on meds to
treat this, also. He has a very strong family history of diabetes and
morbid obesity on both sides. He does not have diabetes or heart disease
-yet. Our point was to say that he would be very LIKELY to develop these
things and the cost to the insurance company to treat them would be far
greater than the cost of surgery! I even included the statement (I wrote
the letter for him); "I would hate to think I would need to gain
weight in order to have surgery to help me lose weight and ultimately
become healthier". The bottom line: he was approved and the insurance
company changed the criteria! (Now includes those with a BMI between 35 and
40 and comorbids such as diabetes, sleep apnea "and so forth'! Don't
lie or try to cheat. If your surgeon finds out you tried to change you BMI
by understating your height or "faking" your weight somehow, he
may refuse to do surgery, even if you get approval from your insurance
company.
— koogy
April 1, 2003
Hello - my two cents - wear heavy clothing for your first visit. Heavy
pants, like cords or jeans, heavy socks (maybe thick wooly ones), two
shirts - a t-shirt and then a heavy sweatshirt, maybe wear sneakers and
keep them on when you weigh in. Mark your height as an inch shorter. Good
luck!
— [Deactivated Member]
April 2, 2003
OK, wait a minute here...you're going in for a consultation for weight LOSS
surgery, and you want to GAIN weight?? Why?? That doesn't sound too
ethical to me. I think there is a pretty good reason for the BMI limits
that the doctors have. They don't want you to lose too much weight or have
problems with malabsorption. Here is some inspiration for you...I had a
starting BMI of 34 and I was told by my PCP that WLS would not be a good
option. So I didn't decide to gain up to a BMI of like, 40, I decided to
start changing my lifestyle. I stopped eating so much junk and started
working out moderately. Trust me, you're only lying to yourself when you
try to get the surgery by using unethical methods.
— Brittany C.
April 2, 2003
I could give your 40 of my BMI points and we would both still qualify!!! Be
careful with the slouching if they realize you are an inch shorter than you
used to be they might think you have osteoporsis. I'm sorry but it really
urks me when people try to finangle things to have this surgery or want to
get around a supervised diet requirement.
— Sarahlicious
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