RE: Possible Stupid Question - some possible ans wers

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathie,

Thanks for your response. Actually....as of yet....I don't have any of the

problems that you mentioned. I'm quite active and don't really have any

joint pains or problems. I still fit into regular seats/chairs with and

with out arms. By looking at me, you wouldn't know that I was as heavy as I

am. I'm 24 years old, about 224-250 and I'm 5'4'' but I also have quite a

bit of muscle mass on top of (or below rather) the fat. I'm just really

trying to get a grip on this because I don't want to have the problems that

I know a lot of the people on this list have. I see people day in and day

out that have to suffer with being heavy. I'm trying to get it under

control so that I don't go through that. I'm one of those people though

that can lose weight on any diet that you put me on...just to put it

back....every single time. BUT....if you put me on one, I will lose...none

the less. I'm just so very tired of being a yo-yo.

As I mentioned in one of my other posts, my blood pressure is normal, in

fact, I just had my annual exam and everything is normal. I don't run out

of breath all that quickly....I have a fair level of endurance and stamina.

I have noticed though that as I get older.....I get heavier and it's just

that much harder to lose the weight. If I can control it now....then I wont

have to go through all of this later in life....and I can still enjoy my

life.

After reading what I've been typing, I feel somewhat like I'm being selfish.

I do realize that there are people out there that are in far greater need of

this surgery than I am, but at the same time....I want it just as badly. Is

that a bad thing??

> Re: Possible Stupid Question - some

> possible answers

> Importance: High

>

> :

>

> I do not know your age, weight, height, or BMI, but if you are MO (40+

> BMI)

> you probably have problems that you've learned to live with everyday. Can

> you not fit into most armed chairs, restaurant booths, airline seats,

> stadium seats, never trust a folding lawn chair? Standing for any length

> of

> time bothers your back or joints because your large stomach pulls on you.

> Cannot walk long distances comfortably without sitting down or becoming

> breathless. Cannot kneel at church because you won't fit between the pews

> or you know you will have a hell of a time getting up? Trouble maintain

> personal hygiene because it is getting harder to reach some areas? Do you

> have any of the following: Swollen feet, ankles, rashes in the folds of

> your skin, between your thighs, excessive facial hair, hump on the back

> of

> your neck, urine leaking problems, irregular periods or excessive periods,

> acid reflux. Have you suffered social discrimination or career

> advancement

> discrimination at work because you are MO? Has you blood pressure and

> pulse

> rate been rising through the years? What about you cholesterol and blood

> sugar numbers are they moving up? Do you know if you snore?

>

> Make sure you recount to your insurance company all of the weight loss

> programs that you have participated in all of your life. Especially those

> that were doctor or professionally supervised. Take a close look at your

> family on both sides. How many people are obese or MO? What did your

> family members that are deceased pass away from? Were they obese or MO?

> Did that contribute to their demise or impede their recovery (Ask older

> member about the family members you never met.) . Are there members of

> your

> family with serious conditions like diabetes, heart conditions, high blood

> pressure, etc.?

>

> These are the things that your insurance company will look at to evaluate

> you. I think if you look more closely at yourself you will find that you

> do

> have many hidden co-morbidities or the potential for serious conditions

> base

> on your family history if you remain MO.

>

> Hope this helps. Good luck to you.

>

> Kathie from MD

> Lap DS, Dr. Gagner, NY

>

>

>

>

>

> Possible Stupid Question

>

>

> > Okay, this may be a dumb question, but I'm just curious....

> >

> > As anybody had this surgery that isn't suffering from problems due to

> being

> > overweight?? What I mean is that I know that BCBS is going to deny me

> and

> > I'm not sure that I really have anything to fight back with. I don't

> really

> > have any other health issues other than being overweight. I have normal

> > blood pressure, I'm not diabetic, I don't have any heart problems,

> nothing

> > really. If you look at me on paper....I'm perfectly normal except for

> the

> > weight thing. I was just kind of hoping to nip this in the bud BEFORE

> > having any of these other issues come up, but I'm not sure that they'll

> go

> > for that. Not to mention that my current doctor doesn't believe that

> I'm

> at

> > a point in my life where the risks are worth it since I have no other

> > problems. Does anybody have any insight??

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathie,

Thanks for your response. Actually....as of yet....I don't have any of the

problems that you mentioned. I'm quite active and don't really have any

joint pains or problems. I still fit into regular seats/chairs with and

with out arms. By looking at me, you wouldn't know that I was as heavy as I

am. I'm 24 years old, about 224-250 and I'm 5'4'' but I also have quite a

bit of muscle mass on top of (or below rather) the fat. I'm just really

trying to get a grip on this because I don't want to have the problems that

I know a lot of the people on this list have. I see people day in and day

out that have to suffer with being heavy. I'm trying to get it under

control so that I don't go through that. I'm one of those people though

that can lose weight on any diet that you put me on...just to put it

back....every single time. BUT....if you put me on one, I will lose...none

the less. I'm just so very tired of being a yo-yo.

As I mentioned in one of my other posts, my blood pressure is normal, in

fact, I just had my annual exam and everything is normal. I don't run out

of breath all that quickly....I have a fair level of endurance and stamina.

I have noticed though that as I get older.....I get heavier and it's just

that much harder to lose the weight. If I can control it now....then I wont

have to go through all of this later in life....and I can still enjoy my

life.

After reading what I've been typing, I feel somewhat like I'm being selfish.

I do realize that there are people out there that are in far greater need of

this surgery than I am, but at the same time....I want it just as badly. Is

that a bad thing??

> Re: Possible Stupid Question - some

> possible answers

> Importance: High

>

> :

>

> I do not know your age, weight, height, or BMI, but if you are MO (40+

> BMI)

> you probably have problems that you've learned to live with everyday. Can

> you not fit into most armed chairs, restaurant booths, airline seats,

> stadium seats, never trust a folding lawn chair? Standing for any length

> of

> time bothers your back or joints because your large stomach pulls on you.

> Cannot walk long distances comfortably without sitting down or becoming

> breathless. Cannot kneel at church because you won't fit between the pews

> or you know you will have a hell of a time getting up? Trouble maintain

> personal hygiene because it is getting harder to reach some areas? Do you

> have any of the following: Swollen feet, ankles, rashes in the folds of

> your skin, between your thighs, excessive facial hair, hump on the back

> of

> your neck, urine leaking problems, irregular periods or excessive periods,

> acid reflux. Have you suffered social discrimination or career

> advancement

> discrimination at work because you are MO? Has you blood pressure and

> pulse

> rate been rising through the years? What about you cholesterol and blood

> sugar numbers are they moving up? Do you know if you snore?

>

> Make sure you recount to your insurance company all of the weight loss

> programs that you have participated in all of your life. Especially those

> that were doctor or professionally supervised. Take a close look at your

> family on both sides. How many people are obese or MO? What did your

> family members that are deceased pass away from? Were they obese or MO?

> Did that contribute to their demise or impede their recovery (Ask older

> member about the family members you never met.) . Are there members of

> your

> family with serious conditions like diabetes, heart conditions, high blood

> pressure, etc.?

>

> These are the things that your insurance company will look at to evaluate

> you. I think if you look more closely at yourself you will find that you

> do

> have many hidden co-morbidities or the potential for serious conditions

> base

> on your family history if you remain MO.

>

> Hope this helps. Good luck to you.

>

> Kathie from MD

> Lap DS, Dr. Gagner, NY

>

>

>

>

>

> Possible Stupid Question

>

>

> > Okay, this may be a dumb question, but I'm just curious....

> >

> > As anybody had this surgery that isn't suffering from problems due to

> being

> > overweight?? What I mean is that I know that BCBS is going to deny me

> and

> > I'm not sure that I really have anything to fight back with. I don't

> really

> > have any other health issues other than being overweight. I have normal

> > blood pressure, I'm not diabetic, I don't have any heart problems,

> nothing

> > really. If you look at me on paper....I'm perfectly normal except for

> the

> > weight thing. I was just kind of hoping to nip this in the bud BEFORE

> > having any of these other issues come up, but I'm not sure that they'll

> go

> > for that. Not to mention that my current doctor doesn't believe that

> I'm

> at

> > a point in my life where the risks are worth it since I have no other

> > problems. Does anybody have any insight??

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------

> >

[Guest guest]

,

Based on your stated height/wt, your BMI is between 38.5 and 42.9, so

you are boarderline for surgery. To meet the official BMI criterion

of 40 you must weigh at least 234 lbs.

If you have been over 234 lbs for some time and have tried multiple

diets then WLS may be for you.

One thing to consider since you are so young: surgery is continously

improving year after year. The complication rates and the surgical

techniques are getting better and better. If you have no problems at

this time and your lipids (cholesterol etc) are normal, then you

should weight the possibility of waiting a few years vs. the benifits

of going forward at present.

When I first hit a BMI of 40 I was 22 years old (1985). At that time

the surgeries available ranged from barbaric (JIB) to just OK (RNY).

BPD was a brand new procedure that was only known in Italy and BPD/DS

wasn't even invented yet. I managed to drop 60 lbs on my own diet.

Surgery for weight loss was not talked about much and insurance

companies proably would not have covered it (this was pre NIH

approval).

The second time I hit a BMI of 40, I was 27 years old (1990) and

injured my knee playing tennis (torn ligaments). I went on an

intense diet an excercise program and lost 100lbs. My knee to

several years to recover. At this time we were still pre-NIH

approval and I was in grad school with poor insurance anyway.

The third time I hit a BMI of 40 was in 1996. By that time the NIH

had made their formal announcement approving surgery for BMI>40 and I

considered weight loss surgery. The BPD/DS was still very new, and

almost no literature was available at the time. Had I chosen to have

surgery back then it would doubtless be either VBG or RNY. Instead I

chose fen-phen, which worked for a while. My first co-morbidity

appeared in 1994 (GERD).

In 1998 I crossed through BMI of 40 and continued up to 45. I have

stayed above 40 since then. I have developed sleep apneia and kidny

problems. Even with the Atkins diet, I only reached a BMI just below

40 for a few months. I tried Xenical, and it didn't help much.

Now in 2001 I am ready for surgery. In the 5 years since I first

though about surgery the world-wide web has exploded and many papers

have come out on BPD/DS. I have benifitted greatly from that.

So if I had it to do over again (knowing what I know) would I have

waited? The answer is probably yes, though maybe I would have done

it in 1999 (when I was diagnosed with sleep apneia). I am glad that

I didn't go that route back in '96 as the procedures just wern't as

advanced.

So what will happen in the next 5-10 years. Hard to know.

Good luck whatever you do?

Hull

> Hi Kathie,

>

> Thanks for your response. Actually....as of yet....I don't have

any of the

> problems that you mentioned. I'm quite active and don't really

have any

> joint pains or problems. I still fit into regular seats/chairs

with and

> with out arms. By looking at me, you wouldn't know that I was as

heavy as I

> am. I'm 24 years old, about 224-250 and I'm 5'4'' but I also have

quite a

> bit of muscle mass on top of (or below rather) the fat. I'm just

really

> trying to get a grip on this because I don't want to have the

problems that

> I know a lot of the people on this list have. I see people day in

and day

> out that have to suffer with being heavy. I'm trying to get it

under

> control so that I don't go through that. I'm one of those people

though

> that can lose weight on any diet that you put me on...just to put it

> back....every single time. BUT....if you put me on one, I will

lose...none

> the less. I'm just so very tired of being a yo-yo.

>

> As I mentioned in one of my other posts, my blood pressure is

normal, in

> fact, I just had my annual exam and everything is normal. I don't

run out

> of breath all that quickly....I have a fair level of endurance and

stamina.

> I have noticed though that as I get older.....I get heavier and

it's just

> that much harder to lose the weight. If I can control it

now....then I wont

> have to go through all of this later in life....and I can still

enjoy my

> life.

>

> After reading what I've been typing, I feel somewhat like I'm being

selfish.

> I do realize that there are people out there that are in far

greater need of

> this surgery than I am, but at the same time....I want it just as

badly. Is

> that a bad thing??

>

> > Re: Possible Stupid Question - some

> > possible answers

> > Importance: High

> >

> > :

> >

> > I do not know your age, weight, height, or BMI, but if you are

MO (40+

> > BMI)

> > you probably have problems that you've learned to live with

everyday. Can

> > you not fit into most armed chairs, restaurant booths, airline

seats,

> > stadium seats, never trust a folding lawn chair? Standing for

any length

> > of

> > time bothers your back or joints because your large stomach pulls

on you.

> > Cannot walk long distances comfortably without sitting down or

becoming

> > breathless. Cannot kneel at church because you won't fit between

the pews

> > or you know you will have a hell of a time getting up? Trouble

maintain

> > personal hygiene because it is getting harder to reach some

areas? Do you

> > have any of the following: Swollen feet, ankles, rashes in the

folds of

> > your skin, between your thighs, excessive facial hair, hump on

the back

> > of

> > your neck, urine leaking problems, irregular periods or excessive

periods,

> > acid reflux. Have you suffered social discrimination or career

> > advancement

> > discrimination at work because you are MO? Has you blood

pressure and

> > pulse

> > rate been rising through the years? What about you cholesterol

and blood

> > sugar numbers are they moving up? Do you know if you snore?

> >

> > Make sure you recount to your insurance company all of the weight

loss

> > programs that you have participated in all of your life.

Especially those

> > that were doctor or professionally supervised. Take a close look

at your

> > family on both sides. How many people are obese or MO? What did

your

> > family members that are deceased pass away from? Were they

obese or MO?

> > Did that contribute to their demise or impede their recovery (Ask

older

> > member about the family members you never met.) . Are there

members of

> > your

> > family with serious conditions like diabetes, heart conditions,

high blood

> > pressure, etc.?

> >

> > These are the things that your insurance company will look at to

evaluate

> > you. I think if you look more closely at yourself you will find

that you

> > do

> > have many hidden co-morbidities or the potential for serious

conditions

> > base

> > on your family history if you remain MO.

> >

> > Hope this helps. Good luck to you.

> >

> > Kathie from MD

> > Lap DS, Dr. Gagner, NY

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Possible Stupid Question

> >

> >

> > > Okay, this may be a dumb question, but I'm just curious....

> > >

> > > As anybody had this surgery that isn't suffering from problems

due to

> > being

> > > overweight?? What I mean is that I know that BCBS is going to

deny me

> > and

> > > I'm not sure that I really have anything to fight back with. I

don't

> > really

> > > have any other health issues other than being overweight. I

have normal

> > > blood pressure, I'm not diabetic, I don't have any heart

problems,

> > nothing

> > > really. If you look at me on paper....I'm perfectly normal

except for

> > the

> > > weight thing. I was just kind of hoping to nip this in the bud

BEFORE

> > > having any of these other issues come up, but I'm not sure that

they'll

> > go

> > > for that. Not to mention that my current doctor doesn't

believe that

> > I'm

> > at

> > > a point in my life where the risks are worth it since I have no

other

> > > problems. Does anybody have any insight??

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------

------

> > >

[Guest guest]

,

Based on your stated height/wt, your BMI is between 38.5 and 42.9, so

you are boarderline for surgery. To meet the official BMI criterion

of 40 you must weigh at least 234 lbs.

If you have been over 234 lbs for some time and have tried multiple

diets then WLS may be for you.

One thing to consider since you are so young: surgery is continously

improving year after year. The complication rates and the surgical

techniques are getting better and better. If you have no problems at

this time and your lipids (cholesterol etc) are normal, then you

should weight the possibility of waiting a few years vs. the benifits

of going forward at present.

When I first hit a BMI of 40 I was 22 years old (1985). At that time

the surgeries available ranged from barbaric (JIB) to just OK (RNY).

BPD was a brand new procedure that was only known in Italy and BPD/DS

wasn't even invented yet. I managed to drop 60 lbs on my own diet.

Surgery for weight loss was not talked about much and insurance

companies proably would not have covered it (this was pre NIH

approval).

The second time I hit a BMI of 40, I was 27 years old (1990) and

injured my knee playing tennis (torn ligaments). I went on an

intense diet an excercise program and lost 100lbs. My knee to

several years to recover. At this time we were still pre-NIH

approval and I was in grad school with poor insurance anyway.

The third time I hit a BMI of 40 was in 1996. By that time the NIH

had made their formal announcement approving surgery for BMI>40 and I

considered weight loss surgery. The BPD/DS was still very new, and

almost no literature was available at the time. Had I chosen to have

surgery back then it would doubtless be either VBG or RNY. Instead I

chose fen-phen, which worked for a while. My first co-morbidity

appeared in 1994 (GERD).

In 1998 I crossed through BMI of 40 and continued up to 45. I have

stayed above 40 since then. I have developed sleep apneia and kidny

problems. Even with the Atkins diet, I only reached a BMI just below

40 for a few months. I tried Xenical, and it didn't help much.

Now in 2001 I am ready for surgery. In the 5 years since I first

though about surgery the world-wide web has exploded and many papers

have come out on BPD/DS. I have benifitted greatly from that.

So if I had it to do over again (knowing what I know) would I have

waited? The answer is probably yes, though maybe I would have done

it in 1999 (when I was diagnosed with sleep apneia). I am glad that

I didn't go that route back in '96 as the procedures just wern't as

advanced.

So what will happen in the next 5-10 years. Hard to know.

Good luck whatever you do?

Hull

> Hi Kathie,

>

> Thanks for your response. Actually....as of yet....I don't have

any of the

> problems that you mentioned. I'm quite active and don't really

have any

> joint pains or problems. I still fit into regular seats/chairs

with and

> with out arms. By looking at me, you wouldn't know that I was as

heavy as I

> am. I'm 24 years old, about 224-250 and I'm 5'4'' but I also have

quite a

> bit of muscle mass on top of (or below rather) the fat. I'm just

really

> trying to get a grip on this because I don't want to have the

problems that

> I know a lot of the people on this list have. I see people day in

and day

> out that have to suffer with being heavy. I'm trying to get it

under

> control so that I don't go through that. I'm one of those people

though

> that can lose weight on any diet that you put me on...just to put it

> back....every single time. BUT....if you put me on one, I will

lose...none

> the less. I'm just so very tired of being a yo-yo.

>

> As I mentioned in one of my other posts, my blood pressure is

normal, in

> fact, I just had my annual exam and everything is normal. I don't

run out

> of breath all that quickly....I have a fair level of endurance and

stamina.

> I have noticed though that as I get older.....I get heavier and

it's just

> that much harder to lose the weight. If I can control it

now....then I wont

> have to go through all of this later in life....and I can still

enjoy my

> life.

>

> After reading what I've been typing, I feel somewhat like I'm being

selfish.

> I do realize that there are people out there that are in far

greater need of

> this surgery than I am, but at the same time....I want it just as

badly. Is

> that a bad thing??

>

> > Re: Possible Stupid Question - some

> > possible answers

> > Importance: High

> >

> > :

> >

> > I do not know your age, weight, height, or BMI, but if you are

MO (40+

> > BMI)

> > you probably have problems that you've learned to live with

everyday. Can

> > you not fit into most armed chairs, restaurant booths, airline

seats,

> > stadium seats, never trust a folding lawn chair? Standing for

any length

> > of

> > time bothers your back or joints because your large stomach pulls

on you.

> > Cannot walk long distances comfortably without sitting down or

becoming

> > breathless. Cannot kneel at church because you won't fit between

the pews

> > or you know you will have a hell of a time getting up? Trouble

maintain

> > personal hygiene because it is getting harder to reach some

areas? Do you

> > have any of the following: Swollen feet, ankles, rashes in the

folds of

> > your skin, between your thighs, excessive facial hair, hump on

the back

> > of

> > your neck, urine leaking problems, irregular periods or excessive

periods,

> > acid reflux. Have you suffered social discrimination or career

> > advancement

> > discrimination at work because you are MO? Has you blood

pressure and

> > pulse

> > rate been rising through the years? What about you cholesterol

and blood

> > sugar numbers are they moving up? Do you know if you snore?

> >

> > Make sure you recount to your insurance company all of the weight

loss

> > programs that you have participated in all of your life.

Especially those

> > that were doctor or professionally supervised. Take a close look

at your

> > family on both sides. How many people are obese or MO? What did

your

> > family members that are deceased pass away from? Were they

obese or MO?

> > Did that contribute to their demise or impede their recovery (Ask

older

> > member about the family members you never met.) . Are there

members of

> > your

> > family with serious conditions like diabetes, heart conditions,

high blood

> > pressure, etc.?

> >

> > These are the things that your insurance company will look at to

evaluate

> > you. I think if you look more closely at yourself you will find

that you

> > do

> > have many hidden co-morbidities or the potential for serious

conditions

> > base

> > on your family history if you remain MO.

> >

> > Hope this helps. Good luck to you.

> >

> > Kathie from MD

> > Lap DS, Dr. Gagner, NY

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Possible Stupid Question

> >

> >

> > > Okay, this may be a dumb question, but I'm just curious....

> > >

> > > As anybody had this surgery that isn't suffering from problems

due to

> > being

> > > overweight?? What I mean is that I know that BCBS is going to

deny me

> > and

> > > I'm not sure that I really have anything to fight back with. I

don't

> > really

> > > have any other health issues other than being overweight. I

have normal

> > > blood pressure, I'm not diabetic, I don't have any heart

problems,

> > nothing

> > > really. If you look at me on paper....I'm perfectly normal

except for

> > the

> > > weight thing. I was just kind of hoping to nip this in the bud

BEFORE

> > > having any of these other issues come up, but I'm not sure that

they'll

> > go

> > > for that. Not to mention that my current doctor doesn't

believe that

> > I'm

> > at

> > > a point in my life where the risks are worth it since I have no

other

> > > problems. Does anybody have any insight??

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------

------

> > >