Khy

LOL I wish someone would order a sleep apnea sleep study on me... It might get aetna to approve me. I asked my PCP but she told me she knows I don't have it even though I snore... but she was against me having WLS anyway. Khy

If you are using a tread mill... I LOVE audio books. Your library probably has a great selection. I HATE doing my housework on the days I have off work but plug in a book with a good story and off I go... everything gets dusted, laundry and and folded... Another idea... find a dance class. Most any kind of dance will get you moving. As heavy as I am I have taken belly dance classes for the last 2 years. Most belly dance studios are very accepting of all sizes of women. They will get you gluts and abs in shape! Khy

Would your Dr. be willing to sit in on this conference with you? He would not be doing the surgery if he didn't think you needed it. I am just trying to think of a way to get you more power when you talk to the insurance company. Get all your documentation lined up. Anything you haven't checked out? Any possible co-moribdities? Line up your guns before you talk to them. Khy

WOW I can really tell the difference! How many sizes have you dropped? Your belly is so much smaller! Keep it up! Khy

Well if my insurance decides not to pay.. I will probably self pay. $16,000 for Dr. Terracina. Includes everything. Also you are covered 60 days out for anything you need. Khy

LOVE HATE Trader Joe's! LOL Always find too much stuff in there I want to try! I will be stocking up on some of this stuff you mentioned for post op diet. Curernt favorites and not recommended for either pre or post op diet... Almond Flavored Sparkling Wine, Curry Flavored Naan bread ( goes great with hummus), Dried Cranberries, Multi Grain Bread, Wasabi Flavored Almonds. Someone pretty far out from surgery might get away with a small amount of those. Khy

OMG that scares me!! I have Aetna! I am now awaiting their decision. My Dr. told me that he thought they would approve me ( and on my plan they only pay half...) . the more I read about Aetna the more I think they are dedicated to not paying. Can you afford the lawyer? This just might be their last ditch effort to not pay. Anytime lawyers are mentioned... people get scared. If you can, call their bluff! Let's see what happens when the lawyer is in on the conference call. Khy

I am penciled in for the 27th. That is too much time for me to think! I keep thinking about all the what ifs.... It would be easier to get it done without time to think. Really I want it done yesterday...LOL Khy

Like you I haven't had my VSG yet but did have a laproscopic assisted hysterectomy. It hurt like hell when I woke up but my Dr. decided I didn't need morphine...I felt so weak afterwards! When they removed the lymph nodes, they kept bumping a nerve so it felt like my groin was on fire for months afterwards... LOL I had to wear men's boxer shorts. Like you I am hoping this is a little easier. I have had my gall bladder removed and it was a cake walk compared to the hysterectomy. Khy

Wow 4 month and 100 lbs! I'd be dancin' everywhere I went! Khy

Dr. Terracina wrote me an order for an EKG... No problem I think... I show up at the hospital and check in and wait my turn. Pretty soon some old man comes out pulling along an EKG machine. He takes me to a room and tells me to have a seat. Weird I think but ok. I sit down and he tells me to pull up my shirt. I had on one of those really tight (sort of like a compression garment) shirts that I usually wear under a regular shirt. I told him I didn't think I could pull it up, but I could pull it down. I sat there waitng for him to offer me a hospital gown... nothing happened... ok I think I will stand up and he will pull one out and hand it to me and leave the room. He just stands there. He says I need to get to your chest and the area below the chest. I take off my outer shirt and think .. ok now he will offer me something to cover with.... nothing .... oh well I think... I pulled my shirt down while this idiot is staring at me. I guess he liked my 40DDs. Well he says, at least you have a bra on. Most people who come in here don't have one on. This whole experience kinda left me with the creeps. Afterwards it is off to my PCP to pick up the prescription for my ADD meds. I arrive at the office and the secretary says... you have to give us a urine sample first... What? You must have me mixed with someone else. Secretary: No... We have to have a urine sample... Me: What for? Secretary: The doctor wants to make sure you are taking your meds right... Me:( Blood pressure starts to rise but decide I will play along for a moment). Oh.. well I talked to her about that about 2 months ago. She knows how I take it. Secretary: Well she wants to make sure you are doing it right. Me: (Loses it) I am not senile and I know how I am supposed to take my meds. Further more, I am not abusing it. I do not even get my prescrition filled right on time because sometimes I do not take it on weekends because I am not working. Secretary: well she needs to make sure. Me: What ? Is she that paranoid or is she trying to earn extra money? Secretary: No not at all. Me: then what? Secretary: NO urine sample no prescription... Needless to say...I am now shopping for a new PCP... And thinking about who is the appropriate person to complain to at the hospital. Khy

Yes the lunch meat thing is a good idea. I have lunch duty 2 times a week and we are not really supposed to sit down during lunch but some of the teachers take turns with grabbing a few bites at the lunch table and then walking around to keep tabs on the kids. Khy

Ok I can't resist.... I am glad that you don't have a leak and are now comfortable taking a leak... Khy

Ohh that is sooo funny! Can't wait until it happens to me! I dream of cleaning out all those old things from my closet... I have stuff in there that is 10 years old and needs replacing... Gonna wait though until I get my shiny brand new sleeve... Oh to buy things I like instead of what hides the mess I am. Khy

Well it felt really odd to pull down my shirt with the old man just standing there and staring at me while I did it. Called the hospital and complained. They said it seems they need to do a bit more training and it should have never happened like that. As for the ADD meds... an effective dose for one person is not an effective dose for another. With adderal...doseages vary widely. I take 30mg a day but I know people who weigh less than I do that take 60mg. Asking the patient if the meds are doing what they are supposed to is a much better way of determining if you have an effective amount in your system. I was a Med. tech for years before I became a teacher. What she was looking for was evidence of abuse or evidence that the drug was being sold on the street. I Have never abused it. I often don't take the meds on weekends because I don't need it. That does not mean I sell it on the street. I just don't ask for the prescription to be filled until I run out. What she is doing is covering her butt and I get charged for it. I don't appreciate that. If she wants to cover her butt then she needs to pay for it. Needless to say, I am looking for a new PCP. Khy

Had my gall bladder out years ago. Some gas but not too bad. No diarrhea. Milk and eggs are fine. Some people have problems with fat intolerence after surgery but I did not experience that. Khy

Dr. Terricina's office will file with Aetna tomorrow. His office says Aetna is really picky. They said it might take as long a 3 weeks for them to approve or deny. If they deny I don't know what I am going to do because I am a teacher and have to go back to school in mid to late August. I asked how long for an appeal and they said it depends on what Aetna thinks the problem is...a week to months... So now the wait begins... Everyone here has been through it so you all know the anxiety I am feeling... how do you get through this? the Dr.'s office did pencil me in on the surgery schedule in case they approve the first time around. Khy

I have given them 5 years weight history... they ask for 2 but the Dr. office said better to give them 5. Had 3 appointments with the Nut. with one more scheduled in case they deny. They ask for 3 but sometimes deny if there is not 4. BMI is over 40. However, BMI has not been over 40 for 2 years. It has been around 39. Had the appointment with the psychologist. Had the EKG done. Paid for the required exercise class after surgery. I aksed my PCP for about referring me for the pain in my knees but she is against this surgery so ignored my request. So I think I hit all the requirements. Khy

At first I thought I wanted the gastric bypass. My husband was pushing for the band. After doing some online research.. I decided I didn't want my guts sliced and diced. With the sleeve the pyloric valve is preserved so no dumping syndrome which sounds awful! I am pretty sure I don't want to live the rest of my life in fear of that. I teach and I cannot leave my classroom anytime I feel like it ... well that is if I want all the kids to remain alive and want the classroom to be there when I get back. It seemed like the longer people had the band... the greater the chance of complications. With the sleeve, it seems like if there are going to be complications... they occur sooner rather than later. So no living in fear of complications. No adjustments, hunger decreased because gryhellin is decreased... at least for awhile... I am sure mother nature built in some back-up systems. It just seemed like the best choice for me. More pros for me than cons... Not everyone is the same though. Some people think dumping syndrome is great behavior modification. You have to choose what is best for you. Khy

All of us here will be thinking of you on that special day. And yes some of us have to go it alone. You are doing this for YOU and that is what you should be concentrating on. This is one of the best decisions you have made. Concentrate on taking care of yourself and doing the things you need to do. As women we tend to take care of everyone except ourselves. I have not told my mother about this ( she is 80 years old). I tried but she did not really understand so I just dropped it. Khy

I dance mostly ATS. I have some training in cabaret. As fat as i am I can almost see a waistline... can't wait until the fat comes off so i can see if it is really there. I am hoping I have muscles underneath like you. If I don't it wouldn't be for lack of trying of exercising them. I will hate missing class. 6 weeks... gonna hate that. I intend to go and sit on the sidelines and take notes. Oh well since arms and hands are important to the style... guess it will be a good time to practice that. khy

I have been penciled into Dr. Terracina's schedule for July 27th... Seems quite a few of us are getting sleeved the 27th... there is a slight possibility that I will get moved up if my insurance does not take a long time to approve. Hoping all of us do well. After hearing the band story... I am glad I did not choose to go that route. The sleeve seems the best option. Khy

I have a couple of microdermal piercings high on my chest. Will they have to be removed before surgery? They are titanium so i don't think they will interfere with anything but I am not sure. When I had my hysterectomy ( I didn't have them then) they made me remove all my jewlery including my wedding rings.