PookiesButterfly
Hello! My name is Tanya. I'm 29 years old. I have been over 200 pounds, and struggling with my weight for 8+ years. What caused this to happen? Well lets see...I got pregnant about 5 months after my 20th birthday. At that time I weighed around 135 pounds. I guess I used pregnancy as a "reason" to eat whatever I wanted. The Friday before I gave birth to my son (Monday) I weighed in at 193 lbs. After the birth of my son, I didn't really lose any weight because I ended up retaining tons of water. I had hypertension from 4 months prego on. Infact my hypertension was so severe that it made my water break a month early. Anyways...4 days after having my son...I got a shot of Depo Provera. I coninued to get shots every three months for the next year. I also continued to put on weight and not have menstrual cycles. Once I realized that the shots not only contributed to my weight gain, but they also contributed to a long bout of depression, I quit getting them. For a year I did not have a monthly menstural cycle. And since then, I have had about 2-4 a year. This might sound great to most, but to some one who wants more children...this is HORRIBLE! Not to mention my risk of getting ovarian or uterus cancer is higher then most. Anyway....Most of my life I have not had medical insurance. In fact I didn't get insurance until after I was married in 2004. I got pregnant, but miscarried after 6 weeks. Once my husband added me to his insurance, I started going to the doctor to get my physical's and stuff. I found out on October 1st 2004 that I have Type 2 Diabetes, High Cholesterol, and I still have Hyperstension. Once I found out I have Diabetes, I immediately went on a low carb, low fat diet. I wanted to lose weight to better my health. I done Atkins for about 7 months, losing around 39 pounds. I also got pregnant agian, but miscarried around 7 weeks. I was then sent to a Fertility Specialist to find out why I was having multiple miscarriages. I had been taking very good care of my diabetes, having my A1C test down to under 6%. Well the doctor done an ultrasound and found that I have PCOS (Polycystic OVarian Syndrome) and also another thing called Syndrome X. Then he reviewed my medical history and told me that I was too unhealthy to be trying to get pregnant. That I needed to lose weight. He said that if I could not do it by diet and excercise that I should look into Bariatric Surgery. He referred me to a Dr. Overcash. He said the only thing that I had on my side, was my age. He said it was my age that was helping me not to have a heart attack or stroke. I know I shouldn't have ignored him, but I then decided that I probably would be denied, so I didn't even bother with it. I still gave it thought....but felt like I would be denied. I feared rejection. I again tried to lose weight on my own, only to fail yet again. Over the past year, I have not had any insurance. My husband ended up quiting the job for which I initially had insurance through. He had been working there for 5 years, but they had begain to treat him porely. So he got offered job, salary and was told they had insurance. We paid around $100 a week and then found out we had a maximum of $2000 - lifetime. I used that up going to the fertility doctor. After this my husband started work at another construction business, for which the insurance was 100% paid for. With the exception of copays. Well a month before he was supposed to be able to get insurance they fired him. Why? Well because one of the employees had brought up a conversation about his wife being a little over weight...and then some how the supervisor got in the coversation and asked my husband....if I was over weight? When he said "yes, a little, but she has medical conditions"...the supervisor said "that explains it!". Well my husband would never let any one put me down...so he pretty much told the man that he was never to speak of me in that manor or he would be picking his teeth up off the ground. The next day he was fired! After this....ahhhhh.....my husband went to work where my dad and brother works. A construction business. They put in underground utilities. My husband's been doing this for 6 years now. He started there on July26th 2006. We then were eligible for insurance on October 26th.
Since then I have started going back to my PCP and was able to start taking my meds again. We also spoke about weight loss surgery. They agree'd that it was the right thing for me to do, seeing as I am so young and already am having all these problems.
Okay my problem is.......I don't know if I have had 6 months of supervised diet. I remember back when I found out I had Diabetes, my doctor wrote a prescription for me to do weight watchers but also told me to do low carb, low fat diet. Something like sugar busters she said. I went monthly to be weighed and checked out, but I'm not sure if it classifies as "medically supervised"? When I went to ask my PCP to look in my files to see if I had the diet history they told me that they don't have the kind of diet that I needed and that I need to go to this other doctor. I'm really confused by that. Also I don't have the 5 year history of weight issues. I've only been going to the doctor for 2 years. I didn't have insurance before that. I wonder if that is sufficient?
Well anyway...I want more than anything to have this surgery. Not to look good. Not to prance around like I'm something hot. I just want to be healthy. I want to be around to see my son grow up. I'd love to have more children. At least 2. I can't do that as long as I'm this over weight.
I wish I knew exactly what to do to get an approval. I know I have to have the diet. I know I have to have a history of being over weight. The physc evaluation and the nutrition eval is hard to find. I can't find either on my insurance. I know that this is a hard journey. I just wish I really had some advice on how to start.
Well I am ready for whatever. I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Some people think this is too dramatic. I agree. It's a dramatic change to make a better life. For me, for my son and for my husband. I still haven't told hardly any one about my pursuit. I guess I feel like they may bring me down? Or that maybe I'll jinx myself. I just really don't want to tell people...then have to tell them I wasn't approved! I know that if I get denied I am going to be so upset. I don't want to have to appeal it. Of course I would...but it would be such a long process. I just dont' want to drag my family into all of this. I'm counting on the Lord above to help get me through all this. And of course my hubby. He's so supportive in my decision. I could use the support of others on this website also!
If anyone has any suggestions on how to get an approval....please email me! I'd like any and all help.
