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Coverage for Bariatric Surgery.Coverage for Bariatric Surgery.
pixiechic said: "thanks for sharing your friends story.
it sounds like it would be easier just to do the work.
can she ever return to eating normally or is that how she must eat for the rest of her life? i know you can gain weight back even after surgery."
pixiechic said: "she should be very proud of the 100 pounds she has lost.
sounds like a lot of pain and sacrafice, but i'm sure every bit of it must be worth it!"
pixiechic said: "that is the other side of the coin.
it can be done by anyone that sets their mind to it. you will probably blow her mind! and you can still eat regular food by just controlling yourself.
and exercising.."
shrkntz said: "I also know of someone who was 450lbs and she had the procedure done. After more than 2 years, she gained more than half of it back. At the start she could not eat a lot but later on...she ate what she did before the sugery. She told me she regrets it because of the pain and suffering she went through. She recently had a baby and she had a lot of complications having her. I think vanity is the worst thing against a lot of people. I have worked hard to get off 50 lbs and I would not go back and just get surgery. I have seen people of a larger proportion lose weight by food moderation and excercise. I watch and read a lot of stories about people of excessive weight just doing it all naturally. I don't think the surgery should be covered. I so agree with maybe the coverage of a gym membership and nutritionalist."
featherish said: "I was checking out the news section today and noticed this article about how some states are looking for insurance comapnies to pay for [url="http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=541&ncid=541&e=2&u=/ap/20050322/ap_on_he_me/fit_obesity_surgery"]bariatric surgery[/url]
This would be for patients with a BMI of 30 or higher, and the doctor would have deem it necessary."
featherish said: "I agree that surgery should only be a last resort for someone that has really
TRIED to lose weight the right way.
Surgery is never something to be taken lightly. There are a lot of associated risks like infections or other complications.
But for some, it may provide a new lease on life."
featherish said: "I would hardly want to use this method to lose weight.
Making the choice to improve your way of life is always a lot safer and better than going under a knife.
But for some, this may be a last resort. It is a risky procedure and it sounds like life isn't the same after, if you follow what your doctor says.
And you have to wonder how this (if it goes into effect) will impact
health insurance rates?
I'm sure that most Americans aren't going to want to see their health insurance rise because of something like that."
Henrietta said: "Sort of a gruesome sounding procedure in many ways. I'd rather try with "willpower"."
Heather said: "Have you inspired her to exercise at all?
Maybe you could both help each other instead of watching her walk down the same path that she was on before.."
Darren said: "I think there should be a certain weight that triggers it.
If you reach the point of being 500 pounds, obviously nothing has worked and you need something done fast. However, if you're 50-80 pounds overweight like millions of other, you need to exercise and watch what you eat more than you need a potentially dangerous operation.
I can't say it shocks me though. Another "quick fix" for the want it done yesterday crowd."
Darren said: "Could be. I guess it would always have to be case by case. I'm just thinking there must be a point a person reaches medically where an "emergency state" is hit.
The truth is, they probably will make this surgery easier and easier to get. If it helps people, that would be great. It worked for Al Roker, I guess."
Darren said: "I, for one, do not consider any surgery lightly. If they have to cut you open, problems can very well happen.
But I think doctors figure it's a way to "cure" people with no will power. Doctors can preach to people but when they leave the office, they do what they want. With this surgery, it sounds horrible, but it will help extreme people lose weight. I think I'd personally just go with exercise and diet though."
Darren said: "Most people don't "need" bigger ones, but want them anyway :)"
Darren said: "I wouldn't want one of these under any circumstances! Being sick to the stomach all the time is one way to lose weight: a horrible way."
cvalh said: "I have a friend who had this surgery, as well. In her case, it wasn't throwing up, it was constantly having to make mad dashes to avoid messing her pants. I can't imagine that's pleasant. She's lost 150 lbs, and is now at 170, but she can't get much lower because even though she eats less, she doesn't work out and the actual food is still stuff like Taco Bell."
cvalh said: "I'm not really in contact with her... She's more of a "family friend" than my friend."
UniqueMystique said: "People often think that having the bariatric surgery will be a quick fix and that they won't have to do anything afterwards. WRONG! Having he surgery is much harder than trying to diet and exercise on your own. I have a friend that had this surgery last August. She's 5'4 and was around 270 pounds. I've been fortunate enough to witness all that she has gone through since the surgery.
Days after: "What the hell was I thinking?....This hurts so bad!" She wouldn't even let her children see her. She looked and felt horrible.
This is major surgery! Her incision is from right below the breast to the pelvis. Think about all the muscle that was cut and you can imagine her pain.
You can not eat whatever you feel like after this surgery. Most things will make you vomit. You can only eat about two tablespoons three times a day for the first few months. Your main intake must be protein...if you have room for something after you've finished your protein...then you can have that. You can not drink anything with your meals. All fluids must be consumed 30 minutes after you eat. Can you imagine not being able to wash your food down?
You have to exercise! No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Daily! If a bariatric patient does not eat the protein required and does not exercise...the body will basically devour it's own muscles.
She's had a really hard time adjusting to everything and she was depressed for quite a while. Thinking that she'd made a very bad decision to have the surgery. As time has went by and she's dropped close to 100 pounds....she feels so much better. Has learned how to eat to live and to exercise. She looks awesome!
She chose to have the procedure because there are a lot of diseases and disorders in her family and she was borderline on having most of them. Her risks for these have now been cut in half. For this reason alone....I supported her. She has three small children that she needs to be there for. One of her children has medical issues of her own and she needs her mommy healthy.
People need to realize that this procedure is not a 'quick fix' and that it requires more work and effort than any diet or exercise routine they could ever try."
UniqueMystique said: "I think I'd have a boob job before I had bariatric surgery....and I don't even need or want bigger ones!!!!!!!"
UniqueMystique said: "[QUOTE=Razor]Now my point is if you can commit to eating like that after the surgery, then why the hell can you not commit to eating like that without surgery?[/QUOTE]
They haven't honestly made the effort to 'commit'. It's a 'forced' commitment. My friend tried to eat larger portions....tried to eat things that she shouldn't....tried to drink during meals. I guess after you've thrown up several hundred times....had abdominal spasms from hell....and have had nausea like never before, so bad that you are forced to lie down for hours.....You learn your lesson the hard way!"
UniqueMystique said: "As long as she keeps the procedure intact.....she can't change her ways much at all. Of course...with time...she'll be able to eat more, tissues stretch and accomodate. The surgery is completely reversible....which would mean another major surgery...and it would allow her to eat normally again. But...that's how she got into her predicament in the first place....right?"
UniqueMystique said: "There is also some major psychiatric evaluations that happens before the procedure. To determine if the person is doing this for the right reasons....if the person is strong enough to handle the procedure and the aftermath. The psychiatric sessions continue long after the surgery."
UniqueMystique said: "Sad thing is, in a shorter amount of time...I'm rapidly catching up with her....and I haven't had the surgery. Wondering how she's going to feel when I pass her up?"
UniqueMystique said: "She still hasn't made the mental commitment. That's sad...because she's not getting any healthier."
UniqueMystique said: "[QUOTE=UniqueMystique]She still hasn't made the mental commitment. That's sad...because she's not getting any healthier.[/QUOTE]
Just clarifying...............this wasn't about my friend. She exercises and eats right. I was responding to cvalh's post. :D"
Razor said: "I have read some parts where it was said that surgery may be the answer if nothing else works. I can tell you that if nothing works then they are doing it wrong. No one is born with a set of genes that they will be fat. No one is predetermined to have 50% bodyfat. We get fat from poor eating and exercise habits plain and simple. So when someone gets to be 500 lbs it is for that reason. I do know some medical issues make you gain weight, but with medical technology these days along with diets there are ways to lessen the impact of those conditions. Now as for the surgery, as Unique may know afterwards these people can never eat the same again. I mean you eat like a bird. Portions half the size of your hand. Sodas are never again and same for alcohol. Not only do I have a friend who had the surgery, but I watched a documentary on Carnie Wilson and she went through her whole menu. Now my point is if you can commit to eating like that after the surgery, then why the hell can you not commit to eating like that without surgery?
I think surgery should be for life a death situations and I think that these surgeries should have a waiting list of some sort like a liver transplant has. If you are an alcoholic and need a liver, you are last on the list babe.
A woman in Houston weighed 600lbs and was bed ridden. Could not move so she could not exercise. My question is if she could not get out of bed who the hell was feeding her? I think drastic situations are in need of drastic measures. If I were feeding her, I would drastically drop her calorie intake and she would only be eating vegatables and chicken nothing else."
lotusleaf said: "here in the UK, this type of surgery exists, and people do have it, but it is a last resort-we have a perception that americans can access surgery way too quickly and as it has ben pointed out- a healthy eating plan and exercise must be considered first. I am very glad to see that all the folks on here can prove that theory wrong! Also, if someone is 600lbs, i would also suggest they need psychological help and support, and to see who is feeding this lady-sounds like they have issues of their own."
Qian said: "I don't know if I want that covered or not. I think too many people would try to take advantage of it. If you've dieted your whole life and not lost weight, I would think you weren't trying hard or not following the diet correctly. I've pretty much tried every diet and lost weight, it's when I stop doing the diet that my weight comes back.
I would rather see insurance companies pay for health club memberships and nutritionists to assist people that have a hard time losing weight. Much healthier and safer."
Qian said: "I was watching a show about a 17 yr old that didn't even try to lose weight because he was going to surgery to lose weight. He said once he had the sugery all his problems would be solved. WRONG. this kid was 17, he should be eating right and excercising and the weight would come off.
The sad thing was that his mom really tried to get him to do the right things, he just wouldn't do them. The doctor said he could have the surgery, but last I heard his insurance wouldn't approve of it, so he couldn't have it. Props to the insurance company. Kids don't need surgery to fix weight issues. Everyone wants to change immediatly, very few try to make the correct life changes to live healthy. Congrats to everyone here willing to do the right thing."
Qian said: "What if you hit that weight and didn't care before or try to lose weight before? Shouldn't there be a mandatory year long attempt to lose weight with a nutritionist and trainer maybe?"