Hello I am a lapband investigator (5'10", 325lbs, BMI 46.6). I want it but I am scared. I am hungry all the time and worried that the post op food is not enough. I am also worried about missing out on all my favorites postop and what about going out to eat with family. I don't want to be a drag on them.

I am trying to start a pre pre pre surgery weight loss. My cardiologist said for me to lose 5 lbs, I didn't ask in what time frame. I have had two heart stents (last one Feb 25th) and have a bad back. I cannot walk but for 20 min without pain and most exercise is out of the question. I cannot even sweep the floor without pain.

I do better with pain med on board but was cut off because of an unfortunate incident with an ER doc. All of my regular docs believed the ER docs statements and I can prove that she was incorrect but the docs are unwilling to believe that one of there own is wrong. What really hurts is that neither doc asked my side. I cry everyday because of this. Everyone notices that I am not my usual self, I am just so down about the pain med episode. Whenever anyone asks what's wrong, I just start crying.

I need well wishes. My cardiologist is helping with finding a doc to do my surg. It will be at least three months due to blood thinners before I can have lapband. I am hoping to have everything lined up to go when I can be off the thinners for a while.

I have an appt with back doctor Monday. I don't know what will happen then. I have to be off thinners for more back injections so my cardiolodist wants me to try acupuncture too. I will tell her to throw in some extra needles for weight loss.

I also have mild psoriasis which is flaring due to stress. Dermatologist is also concerned because some lap doctors will not operate because some may think the psoriaisis is a skin infection. Just started going back to PUVA (light) treatments.

I have stopped smoking for 1 month during the middle of all this ruckus so I am trying to take baby steps so that I do not start too much at one time and become overwhelmed. There have been times that I wanted a smoke so bad but I have maintained.

Back to the crying thing. I know that part of this is because I have hurt feelings, I also feel that I am being treated unfairly and I am worried about the future of my pain relief. I am in pain everyday but I am afraid to ask for help so I am stuck in a catch 22. I also wonder if I have some sort of chemical imbalance because lately I do tear up a lot more often with tender moments on TV.

My primary care provider is useless and we have never really clicked. I keep giving him chances but the reality is I should probably find someone else. I am a creature of habit, he is convenient, and I am afraid that I will get something worse. I do like my cardiologist, he is so personable and friendly. I may ask him for some names when I see him on Friday.

I am also having problems with insurance (Aetna). They recently sent me an email stating that I was 8000.00 dollars behind in premium payments. I called someone and they said my premium was 1100.00 a month. Even if that were true, their math still does not add up. Besides I think that they would cancel coverage if a self payor was that far behind. I also recently recieved a letter stating they were not going to pay my hospital bill for the last stent because it was a preexisting condition. Well I swear that I didn't know that I had another blockage until I started having chest pain again.

Well I know that this is a lot to read and comment on but if you are up to the challenge please support me. You all are my only support that I can really talk too. I am also thinking of making a psychiatry appt. I am not a wacko psycho but feel that it couldn't hurt.

Robert

Wow, you have so much going on and I can not say that I understand most of it, but I'm thinking that you would have to write a book to explain the details of half of this entry. The best advice that I can give to you is to PRAY. In addition to praying, you need to put your list in order of importance. I would think that the first thing you should do is clear up the discrepancy about how much you owe. The last thing you want is for them to cancel you and then you have no insurance but are still in meed of medical services. I would not dwell on the pain medication situation (whatever it is) simply because it does not sound like you can change it (from what you have written). Instead, you may want to take a list of the medications you are on to the pharmacist and ask him/her what over-the-counter pain medication (if any) you can take and at what dosage. God Bless.