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Why I am here.

Qaterra

Member
Hi, Y'all!

I will do my best to make this a shortened version. Books have their place (I have thousands of them at home) but not here.

I have been interested in wls for a very long time. When I met my first "wls failure" -- she was then about 100lb overweight -- it freaked me out. Completely. And, as I was already terrified of surgery of any kind, it provided me with an excuse to put it off. For a while.

Over the next several years, I met many wls patients. Most successful. And I began to do my "due diligence," as it were. Time passed and I was no longer covered by insurance. That pretty much took care of that. But I continued my research.

Pass a little more time and I discover the MGB (Mini Gastric Bypass) (see clos.net and YouTube for particulars) and determine that's what I want. Now, once again covered by insurance, I go to them only to learn that the MGB is not covered; it is considered experimental. Harrumph! That took care of that. And I continued my research.

My grown son, also morbidly obsese with diabetes and hypertension, has spoken of wls but always said he wasn't ready. A few months ago (no longer covered by insurance), he mentioned he was ready, if only he had the funds. My heart practically leaped out of my throat! We discussed it, decided we were both ready and would find some way to finance it. He got his funding and made arrangements. He, too, wanted the MGB and chose to go to Mexico for it because of the price difference. I was unable to make the financing happen and finally stopped trying (for the time being).

Michael had the MGB on 8/10/12. He is doing very well.

So. I continue my research for both of us. And continue to learn.

I expect to be able to learn and to contribute here.

Regards to All,

Qaterra
 
Qaterra-Congratulations for your son and also for yourself. Afterall, you are considering WLS and it sounds like you will make it happen eventually. My journey began almost 7 years ago and I was met with similar roadblocks. My insurance was excellent but had an exclusion for any type of WLS or any type of support for weight loss, how stupid was that??? Anyway, long story short. I ended up on social security due to various permanent health conditions and eventually qualified for Medicare. Even then I had a roadblock that delayed my WLS almost 9 months because I needed a major hernia repair. I was finally able to have a gastric bypass on 2/27/12. Hang in thereQaterra, it will happen eventually. By the way, there are no WLS failures, it just takes some us more than one attempt to complete our journey :) :) :)

Please come back to the forum and let us know how things are going for you and your son. Good luck!!!
 
Hi Q, Keep on doing your easerch and looking at your options for financing, and who knows if you wait long enough maybe the MGB will be covered, not to many years ago the Sleeve wasn't covered by many insurance companies and now more and more are comming on board with it, so hang in there. :cool: Tom
 
Thanks for the info, Qaterra. I had vaguely heard of mini bypass, but didn't really know what it was---but I will look it up on your link. I wish you all the success in the world on your journey. I think big changes are in the works for WLS. In just a few years it seems to have crossed that barrier to acceptablility. And doctors (who always seem to be the last to embrace change) are now recommending it.
Think about it--- think about the medical costs a morbidly obese person can rack up in comorbidities, medicine, and surgery. And think about a successful WLS person who gets rid of all those problems and expenses for insurance companies. Oh well, noone ever claimed insurance companies were smart.
 
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