Question:
Please let me know if your BMI is under 40 and you are seeking approval.

My BMI is 38-39 depending on the day. I would like to hear from you if yours is 35-39 and you are seeking approval, or have been approved. I would like to know what you have experienced. My consult is April 27th with Dr. Wetter in Burlingame, CA.    — Cheryl C. (posted on April 7, 2001)

April 9, 2001
My BMI was 38 1/2 and I was approved for surgery. I also have hypertension, high cholesterol and high triglycerides. My insurance company is BC/BS Direct Access. I was approved within 1 day and had surgery on 3/26. Good Luck.
   — Aida M.

April 9, 2001
I'm at 39 (barely). The surgeon's nurse told me to EAT! Other AMOS members told me to eat, to wear heavy clothes, and to put heavy items in my pocket. I've gained 10 pounds in the last month! I was approved by one surgeon and was waiting for insurance approval, but now I'm switching insurance companies and will be seeing a new surgeon. I hope to get my BMI closer to 40 before my appointment next week. The surgeon seemed to think I had a decent shot of getting approved by insurance despite my somewhat low BMI.
   — PT LawMom

April 9, 2001
My BMI was 37.2. I was 6' tall and weighed 274 at the time of my surgery and had put on a few pounds in the weeks between my initial visit and surgery date. I believe my BMI at my initial visit was only 35. My dr. told me that if I had weighed 10 pounds less, he would not do the surgery on me. Funny to be told I was almost too thin for the surgery ... it was the first thing I had been "too thin" to do in a long time. My 1-year anniversary is two weeks from today. I now have a 21 BMI and I weigh 155. I am so unbelievably happy and feel so great. "Low BMI" or not, I feel I was a great candidate for this surgery. I've never felt better!
   — Beth B.

April 10, 2001
Hi, I had a BMI of exactly 40. I actually was like 39.4 but I put 4 rolls of nickles in my pocket and bra, just to make sure I qualified, and I ate lots of ice cream and fattening stuff, to make me gain weight, but what do you know I could not gain weight for nothing, I tried and tried, but My dr. did agree to do the surgery and all is history now. I went fro a size 20 to a 12/13 in less than 6 months, and I am still losing and I feel great. I have so much more energy than before. Goo luck. Debbie H
   — peaceangel58

March 4, 2002
My BMI is 37.9 to 39 depending on how depressed I am. I too am seeking approval. I have talked to my insurance company and they said no problem. But finding a surgeon is my stone wall. I have been told that with no co-morbidities and a low BMI he wasn't going to approve me. He then told me to diet. After I sat through 3 hours of a seminar telling me how I dieted to my weight by his staff of professionals!! I don't get it. I am looking for a sureon now.Good luck to you. Call your insurance company and find out where you stand. Also look on the insurance page to see if yours is on there and others experiences
   — Christine L.

April 30, 2002
MY BMI IS 35.8 AND I AM 5' 6" WEIGHT 230 POUNDS. I DO HAVE COMORB- HYPERTENSION, LOW BACK PAIN AND KNEE(JOINT) PAIN. I HAD A REALLY HARD TIME FINDING A DOCTOR THAT WOULD EVEN SEE ME BECAUSE I WASNT 100 POUNDS OVER WEIGHT. FINALLY I TALKED TO DR. SHIRES IN EDMOND ,OK . I HAVE SENT HER OFFICE ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT THEY REQUESTED 2 WEEKS AGO BUT HAVENT HEARD FROM THEM YET..... (?) IM GOING TO CALL THEM TOMMARROW... MY FAMILY DOCTOR RECOMMENDED THE SURGERY TO ME AND ITS STILL HARD TO GET A DOCTOR TO SEE ME... CRAZY!!!! IF ANYONE WANTS TO TALK (IN SIMILIAR SITUATION) [email protected] OR (580)252-1229....
   — SUSAN L.

May 18, 2002
Wow, it's been a while since this question was posted...but since I am in this situation I will describe where I'm at. I weight 225, am 5'3" tall and have a BMI of 39.9. Contacted the folks at my chosen surgeon's office, and they said no problem. Now the insurance might prove to be a stumbling block. I will be contacting them Monday to get an answer, as they have continuously put off the Dr's office. Par for the course, eh?
   — Martha S.

July 21, 2002
I had a BMI of 39 and was approved in two weeks. I also had co-morbidities of; depression, high bp, lower back pain, degnerative disk disease, bi-lateral heel spurs in both feet, frequent respiratory infections, severe GERD, and ulcer in the esophagus.
   — Thomas M.