Question:
My first consult is may 8th,2003, what are the chances of him turning me down?

I'm so nervous,all I keep thinking about is the surgeon telling me I'm not a good candidate...Am I? I'm 5'7 and weight 260 lbs, with many co-morbidities, some documemted and some not... I'm just scared that that alone will make him turn me down. How often to surgeons turn down people????    — ItsThenewKelley (posted on April 18, 2003)

April 18, 2003
It is hard to say since surgeons are all so different. When you go in for your appointment, have all your comorbidities listed on paper and how they affect your quality of life. Also, try to write down a time table of what diets you have tried, how long you were on them, how did they turn out, etc. Do you know if your insurance covers WLS? If they do, what kind of documentation do they require? Also, if for some reason he wouldn't want to do your surgery, are there other surgeons you could also consult with? I would check out all possibilities. There is a surgeon near me that prefers patients with a lower BMI, as long as the comorbidities are there. Find out as much info as you can. I wish you luck on your consult. :)
   — Judy K.

April 18, 2003
You don't need to prove comorbids unless its required by your insurance or your BMI is less than 40 (I notice your profile says its just above that 40 mark). I don't think its the surgeon you need to fret over, its your insurance company. In my opinion they are the ones who cause the most trouble for people.
   — Shelly S.

April 18, 2003
Shelly is EXACTLY right!!!!!!
   — Bridget J.

April 19, 2003
Kelley-You sound just like me before I met my surgeon. I too, was worried that my surgeon would tell me that I am not a good candidate and after meeting with him last March, I realized, I wasted a lot of energy worrying for nothing. My BMI was JUST above 40 when I met my surgeon and I had a few co-morbs some documented, some not. Hey, as long as your insurance covers this procedure and you meet all of the requirements, I bet you'll be fine. {{HUGS}}
   — Kim W.

April 19, 2003
Hon, co-morbidities are a reason TO have the surgery; not one to deny it. Unless you have some condition that would make the surgery too high a risk, you should do fine. Try not to borrow trouble.
   — Patty_Butler

April 19, 2003
Wow, thanks for getting back to me so fast!!!! I've been going out of my mind...Believe it or not i have lost about 4 lbs from my nerves getting to me so bad...As soon as i woke up this morning i measured myself without shoes on,lol, and guess what???? I'm actually 5'6 so that brings my BMI up to 41.2. Now do they go by my height with shoes on or without? Or Do i just tell them my height? OMG, this is all so nerve wrecking!!!!!!
   — ItsThenewKelley

April 19, 2003
Hi, Like the others have said, you should be fine getting aproved. You'll be considered a "lightweight" like I was, but you should meet the criteria of most insurance companies. I was 5'6" and 255 on my Dr.'s scale, with clothing and my shoes. I was there in December and wore workboots and jeans. I told them my height. My Dr. isn't that tall so I had to be kinda accurate that way. He questioned me and took a history and did a brief exam. He then sent me to the office manager to schedule a date. The Drs. know who the insurance companies will approve. They won't take their time up making scheduled surgery dates for those that they don't think will be approved. I would be pretty confident that this will be the case for you. Good luck!
   — Fixnmyself