Gained Weight to Qualify? - ThinnerTimes

RebeccaNV · 04-21-2008, 08:19 AM

Has anyone ever purposely gained weight to qualify for WLS? Perhaps you were a few points under the 40 BMI or just barely met the conditions for the surgery? I know that I read on here somewhere that someone knew of ppl wearing ankle weights in order to meet the weight/BMI, but I am talking about actually gaining weight.

soon2bthin · 04-21-2008, 08:36 AM

I wouldn't say I gained weight perse. My BMI was 40 on the nose. I had no comorbidities so with my insurance if I dipped below 40 I had to have at least one of them. So needless to say I did eat as much as I wanted of anything high fat to keep my weight up so I did not dip below 40. The girls I worked with called it my Binge Diet. Hey whatever it takes for insurance approval right?

karen4656 · 04-21-2008, 12:24 PM

A woman at work actually gained 50 lb so she could have it done. I don't need to gain any!!! I have DM2, dyslipidemia and hypertension. I also have heel spurs and a horrible bout with plantar fasciitis.

I can't imagine gaining just to have GBS. Her coworkers said she just sat and ate and ate and ate!! She looks good today but I really don't think it made much sense to gain to get it!!!

jtroth · 04-21-2008, 12:39 PM

I did. about 10-15 lbs. That 10-15 lbs gave me high BP and so I had the co mobidity. But come to find out when I switched drs. I didn't need to gain that and I still could have gotten it done. Because I had high cholesterol and my previous dr never told me. matter of fact when she tested me she said the results came back fine and they weren't.
Since I was borderline I gained it if I would have had to gain more then that there is no way I would have done it.

RebeccaNV · 04-21-2008, 01:09 PM

hmmm, I just finished reading the viewer comments about the 60 Minutes piece..interesting read if u have the time. One man said that he put on 40 lbs to qualify for the surgery.

SueRN · 04-22-2008, 01:11 PM

Some insurances look at a 5 year weight hx. So if you are just shy of the magic number, you may still not get it approved if your bmi's were below during the previous 5 years. Also, gaining large amounts of weight (little amounts not so bad) put up red flags (or should put up red flags to competent surgeons) that may cause denial. It's tough when you are just below the "rules" for morbid obesity. I have seen people gain weight and we have denied their requests for WLS. It's a tough call because I can't say that if I was just below that I wouldn't pack on the lbs to get it approved. It's not the best thing to do for your health, but I can understand because this surgery really changed my life. Sue

Zenomia · 04-22-2008, 04:51 PM

When I initially looked into WLS, I was 1 tenth of a point below a 40BMI. Meaning about a pound or two. Simple solution....I quit smoking. By the time I did an official weigh in I had a 42BMI.

I'm not proud that I gained weight while I quit smoking, but it happened. To this day, I am thankful for both, the surgery and quitting smoking!! I am two 1/2 years smokefree and almost 2 years out of surgery!!! I wouldn't change a thing, they both saved my life!

RebeccaNV · 04-22-2008, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zenomia

When I initially looked into WLS, I was 1 tenth of a point below a 40BMI. Meaning about a pound or two. Simple solution....I quit smoking. By the time I did an official weigh in I had a 42BMI.

I'm not proud that I gained weight while I quit smoking, but it happened. To this day, I am thankful for both, the surgery and quitting smoking!! I am two 1/2 years smokefree and almost 2 years out of surgery!!! I wouldn't change a thing, they both saved my life!

Congrats on both the weightloss and quitting smoking.

Duckie · 04-26-2008, 09:16 AM

When I looked into surgery i was borderline BMI. I gained 8 lbs and qualified with no problem. I never would have gained 50 lbs for it though!!