Weight loss surgery...

kamakazeekim
kamakazeekim Posts: 1,183 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I want to get weight loss surgery since none of my efforts on my own are working. My insurance requires that you have so many co-morbid issues along with your weight problem. I unfortunately don't. I have PCOS but that doesn't qualify. Is it possible to purposefully fail a sleep study so that it looks like you have sleep apnea? Can I trick a diabetes test into saying I have diabetes?

I had a baby in November 2011 and have packed on 50 pounds just since February of this year! I have worked hard in the gym and eating healthy since January. I just discovered mfp a little while ago to help me track my calories more accurately but I just keep gaining. I've had my thyroid tested and been tested for cushing syndrome but the doctors have no answer as to why I'm disgustingly fat. I can barely force myself to leave my house to go to work much less going out in public for anything fun. I'm 5'3 and have hit 250 pounds. I have been eating 1200 caloires and trying to stick to low carb eating although I have to be careful with that since I've already had ketoacidosis once and was warned that it could kill me if it happens again.

I just can't live like this any more. My depression as a result of my weight is getting out of hand. I spend most days crying and thinking about self harming behaviors (I used to be a cutter) I need to lose the weight to get healthy both physically and mentally. If weight loss surgery is the only way it's going to happen I'll do WHATEVER it takes to get the surgery (I'm a perfectionist and never fail at anything I do and I feel so out of control in the fact I can't make my weight come off) .
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Replies

  • jonward85
    jonward85 Posts: 534 Member
    Seeing as how you have only been on MFP since July, i would probably say you need to give it more time. As for failing the tests intentionally i'm not sure how you would do it or WHY you would want to. Weight loss surgeries have their own set of complications and losing it yourself is much safer and healthier. My opinion is don't cheat...try harder.
  • zCarsAndCaloriesz
    zCarsAndCaloriesz Posts: 348
    It's disgusting that you would want to fake a condition for a fast way to lose weight...
  • jennielou75
    jennielou75 Posts: 197 Member
    No you can't fail it they will know. Get all the tests done anyway and have a long honest conversation with your Doctor. I live in the uk and was lucky to have my surgery free on the NHS but if I had not met the requirements I would have paid.
  • nmwhitney12
    nmwhitney12 Posts: 239 Member
    I would not recommend doing that....Just keep up the efforts, I am sure it is working slowly you have to give it time....it takes hard work and dedication. You can do it this site has some of the most supportive people. Plenty of people have lost weight on their own you just have to give it a real chance....good luck to you
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
    you can't trick a diabetes test because they do it with your blood (at least that is how they do it during pregnancy) and why on earth would u want for them to say u have sleep apnea? the insurance companies at least around here don't normally cover someone with it. Don't get the surgery, it takes time (it has taken me a little over a year and a pregnancy later to go from 243 to 190) but you can do it!!!!!!!!!! Good luck to u!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • mgnmsn
    mgnmsn Posts: 133 Member
    You cannot be serious?

    ". I am currently at 242 and my goal is to get down to 140."


    I saw this on your profile. You are perfectly capable of losing weight. I started at 244 and I am down to 224 110 days later. It has been slow, hard, but worth it. Why would you risk your life in a surgery?
  • Hambone23
    Hambone23 Posts: 486 Member
    Here's something to think about: they're going to require you to lose a certain amount of weight normally /before/ they'll even let you get the surgery. So surgery isn't as quick a fix as you might think.
  • jennielou75
    jennielou75 Posts: 197 Member
    Oh and it is threads like this that help to give surgery the bad rep it seems to have on here. It has literally saved my life but is not easy. I have to work at this everyday and so if you want the easy way to lose weight chop off a limb.....surgery is not the easy way out.
  • juliedozier
    juliedozier Posts: 184 Member
    Hey ... I started at 252 and I am 47 years old. It felt impossible at the beginning but I am doing it. Surgery is drastic and has so many complications. Please, give yourself a chance. Make smart choices and get moving. You can so do this!!! And think of what a wonderful example you will be to your children.
  • samblanken
    samblanken Posts: 369 Member
    I have sleep apnea. No you cannot purposely fail a study - they attach electrodes to your head which track your brain patterns, which are different during sleep. Having said that, if you are that overweight/obese, you probably have sleep apnea and don't know it. I had no idea I had it. A nice side affect of sleep apnea treatment? Weight loss. So go find a center and get tested. You may be surprised.
  • NikkiGetsFit185
    NikkiGetsFit185 Posts: 93 Member
    I'm on this site for that very reason I DO NOT WANT SURGERY!!! my doctor has suggested it to me since my weight has gone up and down, but i am making this my last effort to get to my goal weight. I know it is not an overnight process and will take some time but i am determined not to have surgery. There are so many complications with surgery. I agree give it some time, and why would you want to fail test to get surgery done, i dont understand that part, surgery would be a last ditch effort, i have seen people on here that have weighed more that you and have lost over 100lbs WITHOUT surgery so if they can do it i know i can and i have almost that much to lose, again why would you want surgery. I say give it 200% and you should see some changes.
  • cjc166
    cjc166 Posts: 222
    DAMMIT, don't have surgery! It will only reverse the weight, and can cause lots of other health problems. It doesn't fix the causes. I highly recommend "Eat to Live" by Dr Fuhrman. The weight loss is absolutley dramatic, and it reverses heart disease along with other chronic diseases. Plus you get to eat when your hungry (eating the right foods of course). Please look into it.

    www.drfuhrman.com

    There are lots of success stories on there that are absolutely typical for people doing Eat to Live, and it is AMAZING. I started 1 month ago and have already lost 25 lbs. The weight is peeling off at a rate I can't believe.

    Also, watch the movie Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.
    http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/
    It's on Netflix right now too.
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    If you really and truly stick to you calorie goals, you WILL see results. but you have to be honest with yourself.

    Surgery comes with many risks, and requires you to seriously change your lifestyle. You don't come out of surgery thin and with no more bad eating habits, you still have to work to make change. If that's the case, why put your body through the trauma of surgery, when you have all the tools you need right here?

    I still have 100 pounds to lose, and I know it's likely to take me over a year to even get close. Patience... slow and steady wins this race.
  • WhatDoesLisa
    WhatDoesLisa Posts: 214
    I don't want to be critical here so just take this as an observation. My sister had gastric bypass 5 years ago. Prior to that she did an inpatient stay for binge eating disorder and she basically conned her shrink into saying she was a good candidate. She lost about 150 pounds but has issues getting the proper nutrients and guess what, she still has binge eating disorder.

    Her kitchen counter is filled with supplements but she has still lost half of her hair, has incredibly dry skin, a SEVERE iron deficiency and may have to have IV iron treatments or a blood transfusion. She has a ton of hanging skin and doesn't have the money to have the skin surgery.

    But back to the binge eating disorder....one week she is a vegan, then she is on a cleanse, she buys book after book after book about new weight loss programs. I think the newest one was a detox diet. Then she will go to the Cheesecake Factory and get two huge pieces of cheesecake and eats off of those all week. Then she has PMS and goes on a cheese binge.

    I worry about the type of care she will receive when she is older since we are the first generation who will have a lot of seniors in nursing homes that have had bypass surgery. But will the staff be trained to handle them?

    Think about that. I think you should go for therapy to aid in your weight loss before you consider surgery. If you can't afford therapy, what about Overeaters Anonymous?

    Hey, I struggle too or I wouldn't be on MFP. Put the right tools in place and you can do it without surgery! Good luck!
  • Agator82
    Agator82 Posts: 249 Member
    I can see how discouraged you feel and honestly it is hard just to get started because your body has to get used to something new. Some people quickly lose several pounds at the start of weight loss while others gain a few before they start to lose. Ultimately you have to decide to push through it and succeed. I can see your in grad school, working a full-time job with two kids so you have a lot on your plate, but surgery might not be the right road for you.

    At the end of the day I have seen people who have had Gastric Bypass start gaining weight a few years later. If you are looking for a lasting weight loss you may just need to slow down your life a little bit and find something that works. I can see from your diary that you have been making your calorie goals, but maybe you need to look at the nutrient profile of you food.

    No matter what you decide I would encourage you to not give up. It is easy to do when you do not see any change, but if you stick with it and keep trying to find an answer eventually you will find it.
    Hey, I struggle too or I wouldn't be on MFP. Put the right tools in place and you can do it without surgery! Good luck!

    Had to edit to say, very good point and ditto.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    Some people want a quick fix (surgery) because they don't have the discipline to control their diet. These patients often fail after surgery because they don't have that discipline to follow through with controlling their diet. If you don't have the discipline to start with then surgery isn't going to help.
  • hmm33502
    hmm33502 Posts: 201 Member
    Take it from someone who had weight loss surgery....If you are truly eating 1200 cals per day, exercising, etc, weight loss surgery will not help you. You have to be completely honest with yourself.

    It's not a magic pill....it's rough. Still the best decision that I have ever made, but it requires calorie tracking, exercise, EXTREME portion control, and mastering the demons of an eating disorder. You have to do alot of work psychologically.

    I have known so many people who have gotten WLS without being really prepared for it. Contrary to popular belief, it's not a quick and easy fix. If you aren't prepared, you waste time and money on a tool that won't help you and only makes you far more unhealthy than when you started. If you are prepared to really use your WLS as a tool and a means to an end, it will be the best decision ever.

    MSSG me if you have questions.

    Heather
  • helenx55
    helenx55 Posts: 48 Member
    I had weight loss surgery ( a band) and that band is now empty and just sitting there doing nothing! i thought surgery was a quick fix, wrong!!! i was uneducated i was constantly sick. i ended up in a&e with an overtight band.
    Now, i take responsability for my weight and since i've learnt to face up to the fact its my fault im fat, and that diets do work ive come a long way|!
    ive lost 60lbs on my own in 14 weeks, i log every food, i read every food.
    If youre not educated about food, surgery will not work and please believe me when i say it is not an easy route.
    and please please dont lie to doctors, grab the abundant support on here and get stuck in and turn your life around.
  • leahalissa
    leahalissa Posts: 88 Member
    You know what surgery does for you? Forces you to eat cleaner and in small quantities with mild exercise or you get sick.
    You know what losing weight naturally is? Eating cleaner and in small quantities with exercise lest you get fat.

    I mean. It seems like a no-brainer. It's not magic. Save yourself the recovery, expense, and pain and stop making excuses.
  • jennielou75
    jennielou75 Posts: 197 Member
    You know what surgery does for you? Forces you to eat cleaner and in small quantities with mild exercise or you get sick.
    You know what losing weight naturally is? Eating cleaner and in small quantities with exercise lest you get fat.

    I mean. It seems like a no-brainer. It's not magic. Save yourself the recovery, expense, and pain and stop making excuses.

    And it is comments like this that make people who have had wls feel really good about themselves. My surgeon is involved in reasearch which has found that in the morbidly obese or super orbidly obese group those who have tried and lost weight 'by themselves' in whatever manner they have over 90% regain all that weight and more. Being in that state is an illness it is not 'making excuses'.

    WLS is a tool to support weight loss and after that has been achieved, a healthy life. I will be seeing counsellors to address my overeating and issues with food to ensure I never go back to the way I was. For every person that has regained since surgery there are those who have maintained a healthy weight through controlling food and getting in exercise.

    Please do not belittle people who have chosen the surgery route, you do not know the effect your words may have.
  • wheresheidi
    wheresheidi Posts: 213
    Please seek immediate help for your depression. You have to get those feeling under control before worrying about weight loss.
    I know that sounds crazy but it's true. With help you can control your depression & begin to live a healther life. For you & your child.:heart:
  • leahalissa
    leahalissa Posts: 88 Member
    You know what surgery does for you? Forces you to eat cleaner and in small quantities with mild exercise or you get sick.
    You know what losing weight naturally is? Eating cleaner and in small quantities with exercise lest you get fat.

    I mean. It seems like a no-brainer. It's not magic. Save yourself the recovery, expense, and pain and stop making excuses.

    And it is comments like this that make people who have had wls feel really good about themselves. My surgeon is involved in reasearch which has found that in the morbidly obese or super orbidly obese group those who have tried and lost weight 'by themselves' in whatever manner they have over 90% regain all that weight and more. Being in that state is an illness it is not 'making excuses'.

    WLS is a tool to support weight loss and after that has been achieved, a healthy life. I will be seeing counsellors to address my overeating and issues with food to ensure I never go back to the way I was. For every person that has regained since surgery there are those who have maintained a healthy weight through controlling food and getting in exercise.

    Please do not belittle people who have chosen the surgery route, you do not know the effect your words may have.

    She's considering lying to physicians and faking tests to qualify for surgery. This is someone that's making excuses. We're not talking about you, or anyone else.

    ETA: "there are those who have maintained a healthy weight through controlling food and getting in exercise" -this is my point.
  • Bakkasan
    Bakkasan Posts: 1,027 Member
    I was one of those I can't do it people. I had a hormone imbalance issue which was corrected. That was only 5% of the battle. I had a hunger I could not make happy some days. I am talking 5-6000 calories easy. I was 330ish in February. I am 264 as of today.
    I cut out all refined everything for the most part. I try to only eat what I can cook from raw.

    Well, I TRY :)

    And no way, you cant cheat a diabetes test or a sleep test. I wouldn't wish either on anyone. I have severe apnea and wife is type 1 diabetic.
  • RainHoward
    RainHoward Posts: 1,599 Member
    I am working toward surgery. It's far from easy and most certainly not an easy or quick fix to obesity. Speaking from personal experience it sounds like you have other issues you need to deal with before addressing the weight. Depression is a real b!tch when you're overweight. I've dealt with it, or rather lived with it, most of my life. I didn't start actually dealing with it until a couple years ago.

    It is virtually impossible to lose weight until you deal with the reasons you are overweight to begin with. You have to deal with and understand what drives you to overeat, the real reasons you don't exercise. Not the excuses we make for ourselves, but the true, deep seated reasons for our behaviors.

    If you try and get surgery as a quick fix without dealing with all the other issues first you will fail. And when you fail after bariatric surgery it's not a good thing, it can be fatal.

    I weight close to 600 pounds, deal with chronic pain, depression, sever social anxiety, panic and arthritis. I know where you're at right now. My biggest suggestion is to seek counseling and stick with it. Explore and deal with the issues inside your head before you worry so much about the rest of you.
  • RainHoward
    RainHoward Posts: 1,599 Member
    Here's something to think about: they're going to require you to lose a certain amount of weight normally /before/ they'll even let you get the surgery. So surgery isn't as quick a fix as you might think.

    This is true, I have to lose close to 70 pounds before surgery. And that is just one of a very long list of requirements.
  • jennielou75
    jennielou75 Posts: 197 Member


    She's considering lying to physicians and faking tests to qualify for surgery. This is someone that's making excuses. We're not talking about you, or anyone else.

    All you know about her is what she posted above. You do not know her struggles, her life and what has put her in the position where she would even consider such behaviour. It is completely wrong for her to do this but just to be told she doesn't need surgery is not helpful....what excuses is she making?
  • damedame
    damedame Posts: 113 Member
    alot of times the surgeons will have people lose a little weight prior just to see if you can lose wieght after the procedure is done. rememeber the surgery isnt a cure all. you can gain weight right away if you dont continue excersize anyway
  • jakidb
    jakidb Posts: 1,010 Member
    I agree with one of the other comments--give MFP a try and stay consistent. Use the tools and allow MFP to create a "plan" for you. I understand it's frustrating, but I really don't recommend you try to find a way to "trick" your doctor into approving weight loss surgery. Right now, and this is just a personal opinion, you're over weight but not to the point you'd require weight loss surgery. Most of the people I've known who have had the surgery, who were your height, were over 300lbs. I would just allow this tool to create you a meal plan and then start excercising. You can do it :)
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
    Weight loss surgery isn't a magic fix, you still have to work hard and eat right, and if you're not managing it now you certainly won't do it after surgery
  • realme56
    realme56 Posts: 1,093 Member
    The attitude of trying to "trick" medical tests prove that you are not a candidate for weight loss surgery and even if you have it you will also fail to maintain. Get some counseling and learn to live with food in the healthiest way.

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