kkandrod

So, I've been reading and was just reading the thread about the lady who thought her stomach was made too large because she could eat a whole sandwich. (I'm so sorry I've blanked on your name or I would have given you a proper shout out Anyway, in there someone made mention of the lady (another name I can't remember, I'm so sorry) who wound up having a pouch off to the side where food was just sitting there. So, that got me thinking about what the surgeon said yesterday about how he does the surgery and doesn't remove the stomach right up at the end/side of the esophagus. Instead he angles it out from the bottom of the stomach up so that the top of the staple line is still in stomach tissue out to the side at the top instead of into the esophagus. He said he does this to lessen the risk of leaks and strictures because there are only 2 layers of esophageal tissue and there are 3 layers of stomach tissue for the staples to hold onto. ANYWAY, I loved that idea, made me feel safer. But now I'm wondering if that would create that "pocket" type thing that the other lady suffered from. Because if you look at the anatomy pics of a stomach, the way this doc does it, there is a little area that goes up and out from the esophagus and that is what he leaves part of. Any input would be appreciated :-)

Praying for you 3/25 ladies!! Can't wait to hear updates!!

Thanks Lee! Grateful, ok, thanks. I'll ask next time I talk with them. I know there are conflicting opinions on that subject between doctors anyway and that there are pros and cons to oversewing same as not oversewing. How ya feelin'??? Hope you're doing lots better!!!

and boy is he secure in his abilities, LOL He's only done 100 sleeves, no leaks. He's done 1100 gastric bypass surgeries and 1300 lap bands. He uses a 34 or 36 bougie and he does not staple up to the esophagus. He angles the staple line off to the side so that no staples are in the esophageal tissue. I COMPLETELY forgot about asking if he oversewed the staple line or not. He does a leak test during surgery but not before you leave the hospital, not sure if I like that one. He keeps you 2 nights in regular care, not ICU and he's had no one need ICU in the last 17 years. He's not a "if tight is good, then tighter is better" type doc when it comes to the sleeve size and band tightness which did make me feel good. So, unless the bloodwork comes back today with something up on the TSH or Lipid profile I have no co-morbidities with a BMI of 36. Insurance gal said that she didn't think they would care about my infertility, PCOS, joint pain, back pain or stress incontinence. But, she was submitting it anyway with those things mentioned and we will appeal if it's denied. She said that I don't have to worry about the insurance company anymore, she's got it taken care of. So, now it's a waiting game and seeing what hoops have to be jumped through. Y'all have a blessed day! Krystal

Wouldn't that be awesome Carla? I would love to have a sleeve twin!! LOL I was thinking on the 2 hour drive home from the doc, "wouldn't it be cool to walk in and have a message saying they've already approved me and to call them back so we can set up a date?" LOL But, that message was not waiting on me. Wonder how long it usually takes insurances to approve or deny something like this?

Thanks y'all!! Grateful Heart, do you know if Dr. Merriman oversews the staple line or not?

I am a rep for a company that has 2 products that have been hugely beneficial for WLS with skin tightening and inch loss. But, I don't want to "advertise" here because that's not why I'm a member of this site so please feel free to PM me if you'd like info and my website. I was sooooo glad to see your post about being on the other side of your complications! Congratulations!!!

SOOO glad to hear you are doing better!!! Will I still be seeing you Wed. morning??? I'm super excited about finding out everything that day. Just praying that nothing happens with my insurance policy on the employer side before everything goes through for approval since the healthcare "reform" passed on Sunday.

We have UHC Choice Plus. I called that number that Mary posted on another thread and they said that they do not service my hubby's employer's policies so to call the regular UHC number. So I did. I was told that the number they said I had to call 5 days before receiving services referred only to the actual surgery, not the consults and testing. That those things would be covered under the regular policy stuff. Let's pray that's true because I want to meet with as many surgeons as I can. Anyway, according to the rep, there is no required 6 month diet plan. She said if that was a requirement it would have been listed right there with the bmi requirements and co-morbidity requirements. She also said that I should have the surgeon and all my other docs write letters as to why VSG over other surgeries should be what's approved and send those in for a Pre-Determination. Otherwise, if its all just submitted for approval as usual, VSG may not be the surgery they say they will approve. So, that's where I stand as of now with my UHC plan. I have my first consult with Dr. Merriman in Shreveport on the 24th and am hoping to get some more scheduled in between now and then. Here we go...... God Bless! Krystal

Hi! I can't speak from the post op side but I also have PCOS. I have taken the diabetic tests where you drink the stuff but my sugar was normal, I don't think I've ever been officially tested for insulin resistance though. But, I can tell you that lower carb eating helps with PCOS weight loss and that's how you have to eat after the surgery. Now, with the hypothyroidism thrown in the mix that may be different. But, coming from someone with just regular old PCOS, who may or may not be insulin resistant, when I eat low carb, I drop the weight rapidly. My problem is that I can't stay eating that way for long because of the cravings and I gain all my weight back rapidly plus some every time. This is why I want the surgery. With the hunger help that the sleeve gives, I firmly believe that it will help me stick with a lower carb way of eating for the long term and end up helping the symptoms of PCOS that I am so sick of. I have been on Metformin before but hate taking so many pills and the side effects that it causes so I quit taking it and have just dealt with the PCOS straight on. I'm looking forward to those symptoms slowly disappearing and my system starting to act right because of the benefits of the sleeve.

Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear this! I don't know what pancreaitis is exactly but I pray you are getting better!!

Hey Carla. The lady that I called in the benefits dept at UHC is who told me that the 5 day thing was strictly for surgery, not for the consults and stuff. To go ahead with that. I thought that before when I callled they had said before I had any sort of services from a bariatric doctor so that's why I called that brs number and the dude told me that they did not service Shell's UHC policy for bariatric, to call the UHC number and talk directly with them. So, that's when I called the UHC number on my card back AGAIN, lol, and that's the last time when I was told everything. I did call the surgeons office today and asked if they would be verifying coverage and requirements before I came on next week and she said yes they would be doing that so I pray that they call me if they are told something different than I was before I drive the 100 miles up there for nothing that day. Thanks for the prayers! I'll be praying you hear very soon!! Keep in touch!

Hi cwalker. Your post is fine where it is. I tell you, it's amazing to me how different policies, even with the same name, can be. I just pray that what the last lady told me was correct. I'm assuming that even the requirements for approval for surgery vary from employer to employer since we both have uhc choice plus and were told two different things. I guess I'll find all that out soon enough. She assured me a few different times that I did not have to contact anyone until at least 5 days before actual surgery, a care coordinator I think is what it's called. And that if there was a 6 month requirement on diet that it would have been listed in the requirements for approval. I am so ready to go to the doc on the 24th so the insurance stuff can get started and I can find out for sure what's required. I'm praying it's exactly what she said and that everything goes smoothly. When will you find out if you are approved for surgery or not? What doc are you using?

Hey Lynda! So glad to see your starting to feel better! Isn't it nice to have sunny, almost warm weather down here in Texas and Louisiana? It's been a beautiful two days here in Louisiana for sure!! So, your doc said that the bile/blood incident yesterday morning was normal? What do they say about the new stomach spasm'ing so soon after surgery with dry heaves and/or vomiting? I guess that's just something that happens and the docs prepare the tummy itself for those kinds of things so nothing messes up when it happens?

I will be approved and have this surgery that I created a "Before" picture album!! LOL How 'bout them apples! Getting excited!! I talked to the surgeons office again today and she said that if everything goes like some of the other patients with UHC's approvals did, I should have surgery before summer!! WOOOHOOO!! I'm believing for May 1st!!

Mary, the way the UHC rep made it sound, it was just something that could be done beforehand if there was a strong case that needed to be made about having VSG versus any other surgery. And because my BMI is less than 40 and ,other than PCOS, I'm not officially diagnosed and on meds for any other co-morbidity so things will have to be explained in greater detail than just submitting for approval as usual. Basically, they can't submit for approval with a BMI above 40 or below but diagnosed with diabetes, HB or anything else and it get approved specifically for VSG for me so I think we may be heading off the long appeal process by basically doing an appeal from the get go with the pre-determination. I hope all that makes sense, I know in my head it does but I don't know if I'm getting out quite right, LOL I'm good at talking in circles and never getting it out in a short and sweet form, LOL I'm excited though. I'm not getting to see my pcp and ob/gyn tomorrow like I was supposed to though and I was excited about that because I was hoping to get my request for their letters in and them have plenty of time to have them done by the time I meet with the surgeon on the 24th. Now, I won't get to see them until the 22nd and I don't know that that gives them time. I sure was hoping for the pre-determination stuff to be done right after my meeting with the surgeon. I want to be past surgery and feeling good and normal by the time my little boy gets out of school at the end of May so we could enjoy the summer without me having to be on mushies and still figuring out how to eat and stuff, lol. I'm still praying for that to happen though!!

I was so excited to finally feel like I was officially beginning the process by going for my yearly check ups tomorrow with my pcp and ob/gyn. I know my pcp would have been on board and done some tests for some things I was a little worried about before wanting to go under the knife plus he would have been able to have time to write me a letter for a pre-determination for my insurance before I meet with the surgeon on the 24th for my first consult. Same thing for my ob/gyn, wanted a letter about my pcos, infertility and weight issues from him to be submitted with it too. Well, I get a call this morning from my pcp's office and they have to cancel my appt. for tomorrow and then tell me that I won't be able to get in until the 29th, 5 days AFTER my consult with my surgeon. So, I go off a little because I was so ready to get everything going and had this appt scheduled for weeks already. Ended up hanging up on them and basically showing my butt and then when I hung up I felt guilty, as I should have, and called back and asked them to please apologize to the girl for me, I couldn't remember her name. Told them why I was so upset about not getting to see him before the 24th and this lady said she'd see what she could do. I call back this afternoon and the soonest they can see me is the 22nd. But, that's ok because it's still before my surgeon consult, don't know if it's enough time to get a letter though. So, on top of that, my husband was supposed to come home from work today but they got fogged in and the helicopter that brings them from the ocean back to land can't fly in the fog. So, he's not coming home until tomorrow so even if the doc hadn't cancelled on me, I would have had to cancel on them. And, if the fog doesn't go away by tomorrow it'll be another day of waiting, but I'm praying that he's home with us by tomorrow afternoon! So, because of him not coming home today and being able to keep our little boy who is out on spring break, I had to call and cancel my ob/gyn appt. too! But, ended up getting them both rescheduled for the 22nd so all is not lost. I just have to wait 2 more stinking weeks before any balls are rolling and it aggravates the poo out of me!! LOL Sorry for the rambling vent. But, no one else understands why in the world I would be upset about having to put off a pcp and ob/gyn checkup, LOL And btw, even though I do wish my hubby had come home today instead of tomorrow I am thankful that the company he works for takes every precaution when it comes to the weather and their choppers flying. I would much rather him be safe and a day late than them to push it and something happen. God is in control and this was meant to happen. I just have to get a better attitude about it, lol. Ok, I'm done and feeling better. Have a blessed night everyone who got this far in my post Krystal

Wow, so you did come home on the same day huh? That's so wild. So glad you are feeling pretty good! Congratulations!!!

Now I have to wait 2 more stinking weeks!! LOL March 24th I'll go in to see Dr. Merriman in Shreveport. He's the first that will see me without going to a seminar. Hopefully, in between now and then I'll find a few more that will do the same. Finally got the insurance junk figured out, I THINK!! We'll see, if I get a bill for the consults then we'll know that it wasn't figured out, LOL. Anyway, kind of excited but scared. Wow, am I really going to go through with getting 85% of my stomach cut out???? Any other Louisiana docs that ppl think rock, please post their names ASAP so I can try and meet as many as possible. Thanks!!