FloraBama Girl

Wow, Wow, Wow.

Hey Fluffy, I live in Orlando below the Florida Mall. What area do you live in? I was sleeved August 24 by Dr. Marema in St. Augustine. If I had now this was going to be so easy I would have done it long ago.

Hey there. Still pretty tired, don't have enough energy to do my walk. I just take longer than the average patient to recover. I am alway challenged by my blood levels with any surgery, trauma or serious sickness. I will get there. Following my liquid diet and trying to get my fluids in. How are you doing?

The Flagler Hospital Bariatric Surgery Center and US Bariatrics is a Center of Excellence also. Dr. Robert Marema was my surgeon and was the mentor of Dr. Kim. Surgery was In St. Augustine but all other appointments and post op visits are at their office in Orlando. We love St. Augustine and had a mini vacation before and after my surgery. Here are the websites for Us Bariatrics and Flagler Hospital http://www.usbariatric.com/ http://www.flaglerhospitalweightloss.com/

My surgeon was Dr. Robert Marema at Flagler Hospital Bariatric Center in St. Augustine. Support will be in Orlando where I live. Sugery was the only thing I had to do in St. Augustine, everything else was done at the Orlando office including the pre-op consultation. They will fast track you too if you have your insurance requirements done. I actually didn't get into their program until July 14 and had surgery on August 24. Dr. Marema is a great surgeon, he did used the Spider on me and I have one incision through my belly button. He is very friendly and kind also. My husband was really impressed how they kept him updated through my procedure and Dr. Marema came out to talk to him when the surgery was over. Hearing it went textbook was just what my husband needed to hear. Sorry for the long post but I can't say enough good things about Dr. Marema and their program.

Good luck. Get up and walk as soon as you can and use your sprirometer to get over the anesthesia. Where do you live in Orlando? I live below the Floriday Maill in Southchase.

How are you doing? I was sleeved on August 24 also. I've lost 15 lbs since surgery.

On my program the Protein shake or supplement needs to have beeen 20 - 40 grams of whey protein and less than 3 grams of sugars. Pure Protein ( I find at Target) and unjury ( you get at Unjury.com) both fit the bill. My preference are the Pure Protein shakes in vanilla, but they can get a bet pricing for 4 at 5.99. That is why I order some of the canisters of the Unjury brand, I got a sample kit to try them oun to find my favorites.

My surgery was Wednesday. When the surgeon checked my blood levels on Friday my hemoglobin had dropped to 7,5 (Normal 12 -16). They released me when it got back up to 8.5, This is Sunday after surgery and it was all I could do to get a shower. When I finished my shower the fatigue hit me lik a ton of bricks. Had to lay back down for a few minutes. I know the more I heal and stay on programs the better it will get. .

I was sleeved on Wednesday and I did not get released until late Friday. I have a genetic blood disorder and when they tested my blood, my hemoglobin had dropped a lot. Explained to the doctor that my body does this with any injury or surgery. I had convinced the doctor my hemoglobin would come back up as I recoveand . They were in the middle of doing my discharge when my right calf starting hurting. This delayed my discharge because they did an untrasound on my legs and the radiologist had to read the results. It was about 6:30PM when I finally left the hospital. These surgeons want to make sure you are not going to have complications and I feel better with them on the caution side. Hope you get better soon and get out of there.

Hey , I am just 3 day post op. I wanted to know if you are still on Armour. I almost died last year taking Armour after they changed the formular. I have to have my medicine compounded at a pharamacy e

Last Friday the insurance coordinator said she submitted my request to Cigna and we would hear something Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. I called Cigna on Tuesday and they told me my request was pending clinical notes from the surgeon's office. I called the insurance coordinator and told her what Cigna has said. She said she would call Cigna. When I called Cigna on Wednesday the status was still pending clinical notes. I asked what clinical notes they needed and they proceeding to tell me it is all the paperwork we have been getting together to submit to insurance.Can you imagine my frustration at this point? Couldn't get the insurance coordinator by phone or email on Wednesday. Thursday, the insurance coordinator sent me an email that the paperwork had been faxed to the case nurse. When I called Cigna on Thursday they said it takes 2 business days to decide approval and denied. I call this morning and got a great C. S rep named Patti. She had gastric bypass in 1999 and understood my anxiety. We talked for over 20 minutes. She said the approval could come any time today up to 9PM. I was just wondering if the paperwork had be submitted with the request for surgery approval last Friday would I stil be waiting today?

You are a sweetheart, thank you. Better be Monday or somebody has got some explaining to do.

Good luck with the insurance Norman. They love taking your money and then balk when they need to pay out.

Thanks Norman. I called Ciga at 8:51 tonight to see if the approval had come in. A recording came on and said they were closed. Call back during regular business hours between 8:00am and 9:00PM EST. Beats me how 8:51 is not in regular business hours and I am in the eastern time zone. Well, Monday another day of calling and wondering. So Norman, have you already had surgery?

I hope I am typing an update 3 hours after surgery. Morphine knocks me out but anything puts me into overdrive. You are extraordinary SassyGirl, hope the rest of this journey for you is just as good.

I will let eveyone know I get approved, that way we can gage how important what is contained in that report.

If we are 'crazy' would we be trying to improve our lifes by persuing this surgery. I think it matters more if you have a eating disorder that is not under control. There are all things that just go along with being overweight and these skinny therapists have no clue what is normal or not.

I used a therapist not in the bariatric group also and got the same kind of evaluation. I didn't recognize the person she was writing about, the only parts of the evaluation that were true was the facts she took from me. My paperwork has been submitted to insurance, so I will see if this has any bearing on getting an approval. Some of these therapists have more issues than their patients.