Anyone feel like they've overcome chronic compulsive overeat

BlueLikeJazz
BlueLikeJazz Posts: 219 Member
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
Edit: Just to clarify...the whole title is supposed to read "Anyone feel like they've overcome chronic compulsive overeating/binge-eating through MFP?"

First, some background on why I'm asking this question. I lost 50 lbs. last year with the help of MFP. Then, on the day that I went shopping for new clothes as a reward for hitting my half-way mark to my 100-lb. goal, I decided "what the hey, I'm going to have a day off." This turned into a week off, then a month, then...well, here I am 5 lbs. heavier 6+ months later.

About a month and a half ago, I joined Overeaters Anonymous. I just felt like my eating was out of control and even though I'd begin most weeks with good intentions, I'd always fail when the weekend arrived. So I have a really good sponsor now and have been trying to do the program.

Unfortunately, I feel like things are staying the same and maybe even getting worse. Now, instead of just feeling guilty if I have an off day, I've also "broken abstinence" and therefore feel even more like saying "screw it." And of course, in order for the program to work, you have to believe you're powerless and need a Higher Power to help you, so it's my sponsor's job to convince me of this. So now I'm in this weird limbo where I'm not really sure if I'm "powerless" or not but if I am...the program's not helping me!

I just don't know if the answer is that I need to suck it up, stop making excuses and make a commitment to a healthy lifestyle, or if I really have a problem that is beyond the scope of "suck it up." I mean, I do feel like my eating is definitely out of control a lot of the time but I don't know if it's because I CAN'T take control (as OA would have one believe) or am choosing not to. This isn't my first go-round with addictive behavior...when I was thin, I was severely bulimic for about 2 years and shortly thereafter began drinking (almost 1 year sober now!) My point here is I can see that this is another manifestation of addictive behavior for me and not just purely poor eating habits.

I just feel like I need some encouragement from those who feel like they've overcome either compulsive overeating or binge-eating disorder without the help of a 12-step program or professional counseling.

Replies

  • dear lord that's a whole lotta talk -- meaning, i dont know. im not a believer in the whole need for a sponsor when it comes to overeating because we are the ones in control of our eating. you are not powerless and you do not need a sponsor. wow, this amazes me. you are a strong person. you dont need anyone else but yourself to pull yourself up. no more excuses. that's all youre doing is making excuses. ditch the sponsor, ditch the excuses, move your butt and diary up your food. you have a bad day? oh well, suck it up and move on to the next day and start again. we all have bad days and we can't change it so dont dwell on it any longer than necessary (which is about five minutes) and get moving, drink your water, exercise. i think youre stronger than you realize. dont let anyone ever dare tell you youre powerless. i looked at your ticker. youv'e done great. now get going and do this for yourself....you got this!!
  • BlueLikeJazz
    BlueLikeJazz Posts: 219 Member
    Hi crazymama2two,

    Logically, I agree with you. I know that no one but myself controls what I eat. And reading your reply actually scared me a little...have I really become this "brainwashed" this quickly? When I quit drinking I used a non-12-step recovery program that was all about self-empowerment. I almost feel ashamed to go back there and hash out this issue because I KNOW they're going to think I'm brainwashed lol.

    Like I said, I feel like I'm in limbo because I don't really feel like I'm powerless, so therefore OA isn't working for me, but I also feel like there's more going on than just the food that needs to be addressed...the bouncing between various addictive behaviors is proof of that.
  • audjrey
    audjrey Posts: 360 Member
    Gosh, thank you for this heart-felt post. So sincere and honest.

    I don't think I can say I'm truly recovered from eating disorders but am in a constant state of recovery, have been for the past 10 years. I too have battled many addictions including substance and alcohol abuse, exercise, starvation, binging, work and shopping. Yet that's the thing about being an addict, you constantly transfer one addiction for another, be it to someone or something old or new. Relapse, in my opinion, is a retro-addiction to something old, comfortable and familiar. That's what makes relapse so dangerous. The more you relapse the more ingrained it becomes in your habits and personality.

    Dieting and eating disorders, including chronic compulsive overeating, is no different.

    I've spent the past 30+ years overcoming various addictions, but it wasn't until I went on Vipassana retreat in February of this year that I came face to face with the addict and let me tell you - it wasn't pretty. Yet now that I know the addict, I am better able to help myself through the cravings and aversions. More importantly, I'm able to spot myself almost immediately while in the process of craving and aversion, which makes the process of recovery so much easier.

    Vipassana isn't for everyone, Most of my friends and family claim they could never sit that long yet spend just as much time if not more in front of the T.V. or computer. Personally, I think it's because they're afraid of who or what they might face while sitting, as most of them spend copious amounts of time avoiding themselves through constant distractions. Yet it certainly would benefit most people and is highly beneficial for all addicts and all addictions. No brainwashing. No cult. No religious conversion. Just you sitting 10-13 hours a day in complete silence with about 80-100 other people, concentrating all your mental energy on your nostrils, then your upper lip and becoming highly acquainted with the monkey mind you call home - your every day thoughts, most of which you are completely oblivious to.

    The retreat is free. You can go for a 3-day, 7-day, 10-day, 20-day, 30-day or 45-day retreat. It is highly advisable you attend a 10-day retreat first. Google it if you're interested to find a location close to you. http://www.dhamma.org/

    Please forgive me if it seems I'm trying to sell Vipassana. It's just that after so many years in therapy, psychoanalysis, abstinence and anger management programs, and a couple anonymous groups, it's the only technique that has brought me face-to-face with the addict and it has been completely life-changing (in a very good way).

    I must say, as harsh as the comments from the other person sound, there is much truth in those words. Accountability is key to overcoming an addiction. Of course it does little to help the addict, but it is helpful in overcoming each of the many addictions we choose.
  • BlueLikeJazz
    BlueLikeJazz Posts: 219 Member
    Hi audjrey, thanks for your reply.

    It's wonderful to hear you had such a life-changing experience at the Vipassana retreat. I've actually looked into them before after an acquaintance at my non-12-step recovery group (S.M.A.R.T.) attended one. It makes sense that once one is separated from external distractions for ten days, you can dig pretty deep and make some radical changes.

    After reading the first poster's comment, I spent the afternoon reading through some more rational, logic-based resources on overcoming addictive behaviors and feel like I'm starting to come back to my senses a bit. And I just want to clarify that I've never believed that anything or anyone other than myself should be held accountable for any of my addictive behaviors. I do take complete responsibility. I think I just had a few confusing days as we're approaching "taking" Step 1, where I'm supposed to believe I'm powerless. But I just don't believe that, nor do I want to, and now I have to face my sponsor to say "Sayonara."

    Thank you for your sane viewpoint and the reminder that there are many paths to recovery.
  • janesmith1
    janesmith1 Posts: 1,511 Member
    Support for Binge Eating Disorder

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186531-support-for-binge-eating-disorder?page=9#posts-2604807

    Food Addicts Anonymous

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/184627-food-addicts-anonymous?page=2

    The only wisdom I can impart to you is to post at one or both of those threads (both are small groups of people) and keep going back to the thread. I do not have as much BED before because I constantly post on the BED thread and I do not binge as much as I did when I first started on mfp. I was binging every 2 weeks, now I do not.
  • BlueLikeJazz
    BlueLikeJazz Posts: 219 Member
    Thank you, jane! I read through a bit of the BED thread and it looks like something that might be really helpful for me.
  • MSWDiet
    MSWDiet Posts: 399 Member
    I CANNOT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT MFP AS A CURE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT COMPULSIVE OVEREATING IS NOT A "JUST SUCK IT UP" TYPE OF PROBLEM. YOU CAN TELL AN ANOREXIC TO SUCK IT UP AND EAT; A BULIMIC SUCK IT UP AND KEEP YOUR FINGERS IN YOUR POCKET; AN ALCOHOLIC OR DRUG ADDICT TO SUCK IT UP AND STOP USING. HOW MANY OF US WOULD EXPECT "JUST SUCK IT UP" TO CURE THOSE ISSUES?

    COMPULSIVE OVEREATING IS NOT A CHARACTER FLAW. IT IS A FORM OF OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR. THIS IS WHY THOSE WHO CAN MANAGE TO LOOSE SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT TYPICALLY REGAIN MORE THAN THEY LOST (95% PER THE NIH). EVEN AFTER WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY, 10% WILL REGAIN OVER 50% OF THE WEIGHT LOST. THE DIET INDUSTRY COUNTS ON THIS AS IT IS FUELED BY REPEAT BUSINESS.

    THERAPISTS, OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS, ONLINE SUPPORT, OTHER... YOU WILL NEED TO FIX THE HEAD ISSUES THAT LEAD TO YOUR OVEREATING. THE QUESTION OF HOW IS AS COMPLEX FOR OVEREATERS AS IT IS FOR ANOREXICS, BULEMICS, ALCOHOLICS, OR DRUG USERS. I USE MULTIPLE AVENUES INCLUDING THE BED SUPPORT THREAD ON MFP. I HOPE YOU FIND WHAT YOU NEED TO OVERCOME THIS.
  • amysambora
    amysambora Posts: 219
    Hi there :)

    I overcame compulsive overeating using MFP. It wasn't easy - it was horrible actually, but I did it. I can honestly say I don't feel the need to do it anymore, which is huge. I'm 26 and had been suffering since I was 13. That's half my life! You are not powerless - I don't think that's a healthy way to look at it. There are issues you have to deal with that ONLY you can deal with. In my experience, YOU are the one who holds the power.

    It was a long process for me but it was a natural one and I'm glad it happened the way it did. Entering my food in my MFP diary kept me accountable for what I was eating. I challenged myself to stick at it, to stay within my calories and make sure I was making good food choices. It was really hard because all I wanted to do was binge, but I didn't. Eventually I felt I'd done well enough to start factoring a few of my 'danger foods' (the foods I'd lose control over ie chocolate, cookies, ice cream) into my calorie allotment. I figured if this was a lifestyle change, it was important to include foods you love, if you restrict yourself too much you'll go crazy and blow it. So I'd factor some chocolate into my daily calories, but I found when it came time to eat it, I didn't want it. This confused me for a long time. Chocolate was my one weakness, how could I not want it when I was now allowed to have it? Finally I realised there was no excitement in allowing myself a little bit. I wanted the whole block. I wanted the excitement and the rush that came with doing something forbidden. This realisation helped me understand where I was going wrong. I looked back over my childhood when my mother wouldn't allow us to have chocolate and I would eat it in secret. This led to me gaining weight, which led to me being miserable with myself, which led to me consoling myself with - you guessed it - chocolate.

    That's the short version of the story, but basically by using MFP and being accountable for what I ate, I was forced to examine my attitudes towards food and slowly I began to see the cause for my overeating. I'm sure your story is different, but the only advice I can offer is that you need to somehow find out WHY you're overeating, and deal with those issues. chances are it's not about food at all - it wasn't for me. Now, I don't even feel like eating chocolate. I find it way too sweet. I'm actually listening to my tastebuds and logical mind instead of my emotions!

    I am confident you can get past this, it will take time but you can get there. If I can, anyone can!
  • Levedi
    Levedi Posts: 290 Member
    I have to strongly disagree with CrazyMama. That kind of thinking can really worsen the shame spiral that encourages addicted behavior. This isn't just a will power problem. Believe me, I've go will power out the wazoo. I've got pain tolerance like you wouldn't believe - I've had doctors tell me that medically I should be flat on my back when I'm up and walking around. But I still have a problem with food. And no one beats an addiction (drugs, alcohol, food, shopping, whatever) without a whole lot of effort.

    But, one of the most important parts of OA is learning to be completely honest and admit how bottomed out you are. Posting here is one of those ways of doing that. You're reaching out for help and admitting your need. That's good, even if it feels bad or feels at first like it's not helping.

    "I'm helpless" is not the same thing as "I'm worthless" or "I'm hopeless." it's about trusting that God (Higher Power - whatever you call it.) does love you, does help you, does empower you. So when you stand in front of that craving you can say, "Maybe I can't, but God can." And then put it down and walk away.

    Having said all that, it sounds like your sponsor may not be the best fit for you. Talk to your sponsor about this. Tell her she is making you feel more disabled, not more hopeful. I had a sponsor who was a real drill sargeant and it went badly. So I found one who was more like a grandmother. She had a gentle, but firm and honest approach and it made a huge difference. Try out several meetings, not just one. Every OA meeting has a different tone and flavor. One may really turn you away and another may give you a real boost.

    The other thing to realize is that this is not a quick process. It took me a year of owning the OA workbook to get up the courage to go to a meeting. Then it took me almost a year to see real change in my eating habits. Frustrating right? Absolutely. But I had a lot of emotional work that I had to do before I could genuinely make a change in my eating and exercise. I cried a lot. I journaled a lot and I felt like I was getting no where. But now when I run or log my food I feel hope, not shame and anger. And that keeps me coming back.

    You've already made some serious progress. But then you stalled out because the underlying attitudes and issues that lead you to over eat are still there. You felt like you deserved a reward. So true! You did. But your reward was the food. That's where you slipped up. I'm guessing you're like me. Food fills a void for you. Food is the pat on the back, the "I love you" that you feel is missing. Finding ways to fill the void with healthy things, with love and hope, not food is not an easy process.

    I don't know if I've beaten my over eating, but I am recovering. To give you an example, I have three boxes of peeps and a box of creme eggs in the house right now. I've had them for over a week. Before I would have eaten them in one sitting. I'd have eaten until I hurt. Now I'm genuinely happy to have a peep or an egg for dessert and leave the rest for later. I don't feel deprived and it isn't a fight with myself. I never thought I'd be able to feel that way.

    One last thing. My uncle beat alcoholism without a twelve step program. But he had to do the same emotional work, had to find supporters, had to find good things to replace booze. Whether you do a program or not, the basic issues are the same. Those who recover cope with them. Some use 12 steps. Some find other paths. It's okay if you find a different path. In fact OA says that a lot. It's not about rules, it's about recovery. Whatever actually leads you to recover is the right path for you.
  • Lexie28
    Lexie28 Posts: 219
    Sounds like you're in the middle of a dilemma.....Best advice would be to seek professional help. If you personally don't know what your problem is...maybe a professional can help you out. None of us here are professionals. We can give our best advice which may not be the right advice.

    Do yourself a favor and seek professional advice?? Here's hoping that you can sort out your issues soon:flowerforyou:
  • janesmith1
    janesmith1 Posts: 1,511 Member
    Thank you, jane! I read through a bit of the BED thread and it looks like something that might be really helpful for me.

    YW, the BED thread is pretty awesome !
  • ohnuts14
    ohnuts14 Posts: 197
    I used to be a binger/compulsive over-eater. I've gotten it under control by taking control over my life, in every aspect, not just my binging problem, because everything is connected to a point. You better one area of your life, it can often lead to you bettering others. When I look back on it, I can't believe I've over come it. I can't even remember the last time I had an urge to binge. My binges were out of control, and they made me sick and angry and disgusted with myself. I began taking control over my life, I started caring about myself, and finally just wanted to get to a place where I didn't abuse food as if it were a drug. It sounds easy to type but it took me a reallyyyyyyyyy long time. Years to get to the point where I am now, where I've learned to control and moderate relatively easily. It's hard, I know, because I have an addictive personality as well, and if it wasn't food at the moment it was drugs or alcohol or, even shopping at times lol, and there's so much more to it than just self-control. It's figuring out what is causing it, emotionally. But the longer you do it the easier it gets.

    I did have a little trick that helped me though, may not work for you but I'll tell you anyway; ofcourse I aim to eat healthy, and I do, it's still a work in progress, but I love food too much to sacrafice flavor. I avoid the entemanns and chips and **** like that, once in a blue moon i'll treat myself to something, but rarely. And I savor it. I love food, LOVE it. And you have to live off of it so you can't give it up. For me though, I learned to be a picky eater. I started becoming picky with quality and I like to try and place every single flavor that i taste when I take a bite. I've learned to savor my food and love it that much more, and developing my love for food actually helped me get my problem under control, because I respect food too much to settle for things I don't really like, foods that aren't quality, store bought junk food, to scarf my food down or to waste a good flavor by shoving something else in my mouth right after, etc. Just becuase that worked for me though, doesn't necessarily mean that's what YOU have to do. You have to figure out what helps you get it under control. A therapist can be very helpful, because maybe they can help you pinpoint the underlying issue that you're not seeing.

    I'm not a fan of overeaters anonymous, i don't like their views and i don't like their attitude. Feeling powerless is partly what LED to my eating disorder in the FIRST place. I'm sorry. If it has worked for other people that's wonderful. The most important thing, bottom line, is what works for you. I just don't personally agree with their views or methods. It's definitely a process, but you need to figure out what first triggered your compulsive eating, why you do it, which is where a therapist comes in, but more importantly, you have to find your motivation. Figure out what you need, what you feel, what you're missing, or whatever else is triggering this. Maybe it would help to keep a journal about your day and everything that happens to you and all of the feelings you get and everytime you feel an urge to binge. Write about it. Writing can do wonders, you just let it flow out, which allows you to think clearly, and keep your thoughts focused, and sometimes you come to sudden realizations that can shock you. writing helps me through sooooo much. i'd definitely be willing to chat if you ever need someone to talk to! i hope i was of some help!

    EDIT:: It's also important not to beat yourself up over a slip. I used to do that, all the time, which would lead to a vicious binging cycle. I ate because I was sad, I was sad because I ate, that whole bit. I've noticed that people with addictive personalities tend to be the kinds of people who beat themselves up over every little mistake, i know i do, with school, my art, my writing, work, etc, which leads to a horrible downward spiral. It's important to believe in yourself, and to forgive yourself. A slip is not the end of the world, it's nothing to be ashamed of. It's easy to jump right back on the horse.
  • I've had BED since as far back as I can remember and definitely since my early teens. I'd tried loads of different diets to lose the weight over the years but that was just treating the physical symptom of a psychological disorder. My doctor (and the counsellor she referred me to) both agreed I had a problem but apparently there is no funding available in my area to treat those with any eating disorders except for anorexia and bulimia. So my choices were continue on my path of self-destruction or pay money I couldn't afford for one-to-one counselling. Eventually I actually stumbled upon a diet and counselling programme and over the last year I've lost 150lb. More importantly though I've been able to make a start on tackling my BED.

    Unfortunately it's not easy. I've been shown how to use tools from various psychological theories, e.g. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (supposedly very useful in treating those with eating disorders), Transactional Analysis (all about how we communicate with ourselves and others) and Neuro-Linguistic Programming, and it really has made a difference. The breakthroughs may be small and slow but they have been there. It also sometimes feels like you're right back where you started when something goes wrong and you find yourself facing another binge just when you thought you were on top of it all, but there is progress being made.

    I genuinely don't think that anyone can self-treat an eating disorder. It's impossible to be objective for one thing and sometimes it's good to have someone else just reflect things back at you (the phrases you use, changes in your behaviour, etc). If you can afford it I would really suggest getting some counselling - even just a few sessions to see if it helps. Failing that there are some good books out there that may help, not to mention the support of those on forums like this who understand. Please don't beat yourself up - by asking for help you're showing that you value you yourself enough to want to get rid of this disorder. Stay strong.
  • BlueLikeJazz
    BlueLikeJazz Posts: 219 Member
    Thanks everyone for your thoughtful replies.

    @MSWDiet—I guess I should have stated my initial question a little differently. I don’t in any way expect MFP to be a “cure.” I guess I just meant that because everyone on here uses MFP, I wanted to hear from people who used MFP as one of their tools to help overcome COE/BED. And you’re absolutely right, “suck it up” is not the answer. I do think that better decision-making is part of the big picture answer, but it’s not THE answer. The “head issues,” as you say, do need to be addressed.

    @amysambora—Your post really spoke to me. I talked to my sponsor a couple weeks ago about how this approach was frustrating me…how I didn’t know whether I could keep this up for a lifetime because the food restrictions just made me want the “bad” things more. I’ve binged way more since joining than I did before. And you hit the nail on the head, knowing you can’t have something adds a “rush” to having it. My sponsor’s response was basically “Poor you, wouldn’t you rather have cancer or some other debilitating disease? Having COE/BED and having to eat a certain way is nothing to whine about.” …..Seriously. I wasn’t “whining” at all, simply stating that it wasn’t working. Anyways, I really appreciated hearing from you.

    @Levedi—I agree with you that it’s not just about willpower. I’ve gone through a continuous cycle of addictive behaviors since my teens, I “beat” one and either something new and different or an old one seems to be right around the corner. Luckily, I do feel like I might be getting closer to the tail end of all this addictive behavior because at least I’m a lot more self-aware about it (for instance, I stay the heck away from gambling and credit cards because I’ve never had problems with shopping/spending but I’m aware that if I have no other outlet, those could easily become my new vices.)

    Though my sponsor had a few not-so-wonderful moments (see above), overall she was great. Not a drill sergeant at all. I think what it really boils down to is the whole program not being a proper fit for me at this time. I realize it’s a process but I’m just finding some parts of it are running in direct opposition to my core. And you’re right, to fully recover one needs a whole recovery package so now I’m just working on what that’s going to be for me.

    @Lexie—Any time I post anything on MFP it’s with the full knowledge that people are just telling me their experiences. I certainly wouldn’t substitute anything said here for proper medical advice :).

    @ohnuts14—I really love your suggestion about savoring your food. I’ve read a couple Geneen Roth books and she suggests this as well. It makes total sense that if you really taste your food, and choose food you really love the flavors of, you’re less likely to go scarfing down a bag of Cheeto’s. I’m definitely going to try to make time to journal again, as you suggested. I journaled for the first 88 days (weird number, don’t know why I stopped there, but I did) that I was sober from alcohol and I think it was a really useful tool for me. Thanks for your help!

    @nlhawthorne—congratulations on your amazing progress! And as far as your suggestion of treatment goes, that’s addressed in my final “group comment” below:


    Lastly, to everyone who suggested some professional therapy, how’s this for a laugh:

    I just got denied health insurance because of my history of going to therapy for bulimia and being on anti-depressants (history of mental disorder). So now, not only can I not afford to go to therapy because I don’t have health insurance, I also am afraid to go because I don’t want more therapy on my medical record that will prevent me from getting health insurance in the future. This system is absolutely pathetic. Thank God there is at least a health risk sharing plan available...hopefully I'm able to obtain that.

    But anyhoo, I feel like I have some great resources at my fingertips to start working on these issues and do the best I can without the talk-therapy. Thank you all for your suggestions!
  • ohnuts14
    ohnuts14 Posts: 197
    awww, i'm glad i could help! =) i never heard of that author but now i'm curious to read their books!

    WHHAATTT? that's absurd. i like how they deny health insurance to the people who actually need it. what about medicaid? are you elligible for that? they can't turn you down. i live in NY, and I don't know how it is in other states or what state you live in, but universal health care doesn't allow medicaid programs to turn people down for predispositions or medical conditions. you have to earn under a certain amount though (on the books). do you know if you're elligible? that's ridiculous that anyone would turn you down for that, or take away your health insurance. the whole system is ****ed. no one should ever be denied health insurance, simply for NEEDING it.
  • janesmith1
    janesmith1 Posts: 1,511 Member
    My advice is to never tell the truth on your health ins app. If you're not within BMI range tell them you are, if you have anything wrong with you at all they will deny you, inc ana/mia/BED, etc. You need to tell them you are 100% healthy or you will be denied then put into the "denied" pool on the state level where you will have to pay a big amt for health ins for "pre-conditions" people. Lie or get no health ins. This is jmho......the only way to get around this is to be at a workplace that provides you with group coverage.
  • MSWDiet
    MSWDiet Posts: 399 Member
    My advice is to never tell the truth on your health ins app. If you're not within BMI range tell them you are, if you have anything wrong with you at all they will deny you, inc ana/mia/BED, etc. You need to tell them you are 100% healthy or you will be denied then put into the "denied" pool on the state level where you will have to pay a big amt for health ins for "pre-conditions" people. Lie or get no health ins. This is jmho......the only way to get around this is to be at a workplace that provides you with group coverage.

    MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE RELYING ON DATABASES FOR YOUR MEDICAL CLAIMS HISTORY. EVEN SHOULD YOU LIE YOU WILL LIKELY GET CAUGHT DOWN THE ROAD. COVERAGE MAY BE APPROVED BUT WHEN YOUR CLAIMS REACH A GIVEN THRESHOLD THEY WILL PULL YOUR RECORDS AND START LOOKING FOR REASONS TO DENY. BECAUSE YOU WERE NEVER ELIGIBLE, YOU MAY FIND CLAIMS REVERSED AND ALL THY OWE YOU IS A RETURN OF PREMIUM. RULES VARY BY STATE. IN THE AGE OF DATA BASES THERE ARE FEW SECRETS.
  • janesmith1
    janesmith1 Posts: 1,511 Member
    MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE RELYING ON DATABASES FOR YOUR MEDICAL CLAIMS HISTORY.

    Due to HIPPA it's illegal for them to do that. As far as your claims that insurance companies will kick you off, they're not doing it right now due to the latest healthcare law and anyone who gets kicked off can call the President's office, Pelosi's office and make a big stink.
  • MSWDiet
    MSWDiet Posts: 399 Member
    awww, i'm glad i could help! =) i never heard of that author but now i'm curious to read their books!

    WHHAATTT? that's absurd. i like how they deny health insurance to the people who actually need it. what about medicaid? are you elligible for that? they can't turn you down. i live in NY, and I don't know how it is in other states or what state you live in, but universal health care doesn't allow medicaid programs to turn people down for predispositions or medical conditions. you have to earn under a certain amount though (on the books). do you know if you're elligible? that's ridiculous that anyone would turn you down for that, or take away your health insurance. the whole system is ****ed. no one should ever be denied health insurance, simply for NEEDING it.

    NEEDING INSURANCE IS THE PRIMARY REASON FOR BEING DENIED INSURANCE. ONCE YOU NEED IT YOU ARE BRANDED UN ISURABLE. MANY WILL NOT QUALIFY FOR MEDICAID EVEN ON A SMALL DISABILITY INCOME. MEDICARE HAS BLANKET EXCLUSIONS FOR A NUMBER OF MEDICATIONS AND TREATMENTS. IMAGINE YOU ARE SICK, DISABLED, UN INSURABLE, THERE IS A TWO YEAR WAITING PERIOD FOR MEDICARE ELIGIBILITY FOR THE DISABLED. YOUR MEAGER DISABILITY INCOME EXCLUDES YOU FROM MEDICAID. THE REST IS A DISCUSSION FOR A HEALTH CARE REFORM THREAD.
  • MSWDiet
    MSWDiet Posts: 399 Member
    MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE RELYING ON DATABASES FOR YOUR MEDICAL CLAIMS HISTORY.

    Due to HIPPA it's illegal for them to do that. As far as your claims that insurance companies will kick you off, they're not doing it right now due to the latest healthcare law and anyone who gets kicked off can call the President's office, Pelosi's office and make a big stink.

    I HAVE TO DISAGREE. PERMITTED USES AND DISCLOSURES UNDER HIPAA INCLUDE INFORMATION RELATED TO TREATMENT, PAYMENT, AND HEALTHCARE OPERATIONS. PAYMENT INCLUDES DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR COVERAGE UNDER A PLAN. ONCE COVERED, PAYMENT ALSO INCLUDES UTILIZATION REVIEWS AND JUSTIFICATION OF CHARGES. DISCLOSURE TO AN INSURANCE PAYOR IS A PERMITTED USE UNDER HIPAA. YOU CANNOT BE EJECTED BECAUSE YOU FILE CLAIMS. HOWEVER, YOU CAN BE DROPPED IF THEY CAN PROVE FRAUD IN OBTAINING COVERAGE.
  • amysambora
    amysambora Posts: 219
    @amysambora—Your post really spoke to me. I talked to my sponsor a couple weeks ago about how this approach was frustrating me…how I didn’t know whether I could keep this up for a lifetime because the food restrictions just made me want the “bad” things more. I’ve binged way more since joining than I did before. And you hit the nail on the head, knowing you can’t have something adds a “rush” to having it. My sponsor’s response was basically “Poor you, wouldn’t you rather have cancer or some other debilitating disease? Having COE/BED and having to eat a certain way is nothing to whine about.” …..Seriously. I wasn’t “whining” at all, simply stating that it wasn’t working. Anyways, I really appreciated hearing from you.

    No problem :) I'm so sorry your sponsor has that attitude. Obviously we all know we could be much worse off...no, we don't have terminal illnesses and yes, we have all our limbs intact...and we are very grateful for that, but it really doesn't fix what is a long term mental/emotional issue. Thinking that way actually stopped me from opening up for a long time. I would tell myself no one would take me seriously, it's not like I had a disease or something.

    No matter what, you are taking positive steps to improve your situation and that is a good thing! Keep going in the right direction!
  • Levedi
    Levedi Posts: 290 Member
    I love this thread. There's so much care for each other on here, and some wonderful ideas that I'm going to use too.


    And Blue, I am so sorry to hear about your health insurance problem. I was without health insurance for 3 years when I was a little older than you and it was a rough road. i found health care by looking for free/poverty clinics - if you lack health insurance they won't turn you away even if you are employed. Ironically, I got some of the best and most compassionate care at these places because anyone who works there is doing it out of compassion, not greed. Planned Parenthood also provides women's health screenings and some care. (Please, no body jump on me about abortion. That's not what I'm talking about here - just the health issues.) Lastly, if you live near a large university see if they have a medical and dental program. They often provide discounted services. You do have to have students work on you, but they are being supervised so it should be alright. i had my wisdom teeth out at Ohio State University hospital and it was a faculty member who did the surgery - his students only watched to learn. So I actually got better care from the best of the best who wanted people to demonstrate on. I hope you can get coverage soon!
  • BlueLikeJazz
    BlueLikeJazz Posts: 219 Member
    We're above the income level for things like Medicaid. And I actually did not mention any of my mental health history on my insurance application because none of the questions specifically covered it. So they pulled it from my medical records. My husband also got denied, him for high blood pressure. They must have also found this out from his medical records because I did not put anything about that on the application either. He's only been to the doctor twice in the past few years so they're basing his "condition" of high blood pressure off of two high readings at the MOST.

    So yeah, lying or omission of information does NOT work. They definitely had quick and easy access to our medical records.

    We were so excited to get health insurance because we've been without it for years and just now are able to afford it. We just finished paying off a medical bill for a hernia repair from two years ago and the monthly payment was almost 25% of our monthly income. They don't take that into consideration when you're applying for low-income insurance options, though, so we were never able to qualify for any of those. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for this risk-sharing plan and all will be good!
  • winningthin
    winningthin Posts: 31 Member
    I haven't experienced this personally, but I have experienced the power of prayer. If you just exercise even a little faith, God can help you overcome anything. Don't give up, pray, ask for direction and believe that He hears you. In due time, your deliverance will come. You just have to trust that it will :). His time is not like our time. Be patient and take it one day at a time.
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