Question:
What if I lose to much weight before my consult with the surgeon?

My PCP gave me xenical along with a supervised diet plan so that it will help me qualify for WLS. I am only 5'0" and 212# with a BMI of 41.4. I will not be able to see the surgeon until Dec. Could I lose too much weight and not be able to get surgery? Should I even take the medicine? I think I have a few comorbid problems, but I want to make sure I still weight above a BMI of 40 w/ comorbities. I have cigna HMO of AZ.    — Brandyraj (posted on October 16, 2002)

October 16, 2002
Personally although I don't like to lie, I would pretend to go along with "the program". You certainly don't want to gain weight as they will know you are lying, but you don't want to lose ether!
   — Danmark

October 16, 2002
I sympathize with you, because my PCP also had me on Xenical. My stomach does not tolerate oral medications very well, so I was unable to continue with it. Even though it was a last ditch effort, I would have been happy to lose weight that way, even though I wanted the surgery so badly. If it works, go with the program; if it doesn't, you'll know soon enough. My only question is: Do you really need to go this route? Have you been on supervised diets that qualify for your insurance company? Most insurers don't require a course of medication if you've been on diets.
   — Arlene S.

October 17, 2002
Just thought I would pass this bit of info along to you. This is taken directly off of Dr.Blackstone's website (who is the only wls approved in AZ by Cigna)regarding meeting the guidelines for wls.******************* Answering the question "Am I Morbidly Obese?" may give you the courage you need to take the first step towards weight loss surgery. Below, we've included a BMI Calculator and an Ideal Body Weight Chart you can use to determine if you are morbidly obese. [However, BMI is only one of many factors the team at Scottsdale Bariatric Center considers in determining whether or not a patient is a good candidate for weight loss surgery.] You may be a good candidate for surgery if: You are 100 pounds or more over your healthy (ideal) body weight You have a BMI of 40 or more You have a BMI of 35 or more and have serious health problems, such as diabetes or heart disease, that are caused by your excess weight *************************************************** If you want to visit her website it is at: www.bariatricsolutions.com Just an fyi at your height you could get down to 180lbs and still qualify with a BMI of 35 since you have co-morbidities. hope this helps. :)
   — Tammy O.

October 17, 2002
put rolls of quarters in your pockets. had i done this i could have saved my family $35,000. Good luck, speedy recovery!
   — robyn R.

October 17, 2002
I was worried about the same thing and was told by hospital personnel that they use the BMI I came into their program with. Most surgeons want their patients to try to lose or maintain before surgery, anyway.
   — Esse