Radwilk

I am a big fan of dr. Drew Pinsky. I grew up listening to loveline on the radio and now I watch all of his rehab shows. Anyhow, he had a guest named Dr. Andrew Goldstein who is some sort of vaginal/hormonal specialist. Recently they were talking on dr. Drew's podcast about the side effects of birth control pills. Dr. Goldstein said most of the newer pills from the last 15-20 years are horrible for women. The gist was that women need testosterone for their sex drive and comfort and basically the bc pills suppress women's testosterone receptors in and around the vagina. This leads to low sex drive, vulva pain, cervical pain, abdominal pain, thin skin down below... Basically misery that many man of us experience. Oh and the bad bc pill's effects can last for years after you discontinue them. The solution was to quit taking bc pills if possible and also use an estrogen AND testosterone cream. If you must take bc then take one from about 25-30 years ago. Avoid new bcs like yazmin. There is apparently an international society for sexual health of women that has affiliated gynos who know more about these issues than your typical ob-gyn. I will get the name of some of the bcs that do not have these bad effects. Hope this made some sense. If you want to hear what dr. Goldstein says download the Adam carolla app for your phone and click the dr. Drew show. There you can find the podcasts featuring dr. Goldstein. Very, very interesting stuff. Sorry this is so badly written. Laying in my sick 4 year old's bed until she conks out

I don't have a nuvaring. I am not even on birth control right now. My period is a week late which is very unusual. NO, I am not pregnant. My hormones have just gone wacko, understandably.

The bougie is inserted through your mouth while you are asleep and it goes all the way down to your pylorus, which is the opening between your stomach and your intestine. The surgeon then inserts the stapler through the trocar (laparoscopic holes in your belly) and places the stapler next to the bougie as a size reference. Then he staples all the way up leaving your stomach just about the size of the bougie inside of it. The bougie is used for a reference and to prevent him from guessing and making your new sleeve too small. Think of it this way take a regular sheet of paper. Stick your finger in it and fold it over your finger. Then take a stapler and staple the whole way up your finger. = Finger bougie

I too looked at the size references for the different bougies and they are so minute. That being said my doctor did a 40. He does sew over as well so I think that tightens things up a smidge. I really want to ask him why he chose 40, but I sort of think it had something to do with my hernia and reflux. I did a little research and found that there are no differences in overall and eventual weight loss between 32 or 40 bougies. I was a sort of low BMI. I weighed 190 on consult and 200 on day of surgery.. I was told don't worry about the pre op diet and obviously I had a long month of food funerals to gain 10 lbs! So far I have lost right under 40 lbs in 35 days. I'm sure you will be just fine..GOOD LUCK!

I sent my husband home! He snores and the couch/bed looked uncomfortable. I was fine and the room was quiet. The next night he stayed with me and drove me nuts.

I vomited quite a bit of blood the 1st night. Second day less blood and could not swallow a thing. Not even sip out of med cup. I had to stay 3 nights due to all this, but my dr never expressed concern over my staple line. Looking back I think much of my nausea was from pain pump and swelling from surgery and hernia repair. I'm a month out and my staple line is just fine.

Where in Mexico? If Tijuana.. then I don't know, but Cancun is no problem. Make sure you have international roaming or something like that on your plan. It's worth the 5.99 or so a month to avoid a big bill for using your phone out of the country. Then when you get back you can have your cell phone company discontinue the international roaming. Good luck!

OMG That is so disgusting. WOWOWOW! I can imagine... "Hey look there is my fried chicken". SMH

I weighed 185 on consult at 5'1". Barely meeting the 35 bmi guideline my insurance has. I had severe reflux, hiatal hernia, high blood pressure and sleep apnea. While under the supervision of the nutritionist I lost about 4-5 lbs then regained up to 199 day of surgery. One shocking realization was carrying my child up stairs. She weighs about 28 lbs and how unbelievably difficult that was on my whole body. That was a lightbulb moment where i realized how hard 75-80 lbs was on my short frame. How damaging! In addition to my family history of heart disease, diabetes and stroke I knew I HAD to get the weight off. Now I'm cooking some Bari friendly meals and my kids and hubby are eating them with me (sometimes). They are eating more healthy!!! That's a positive too. Also I discussed lower bmi with my primary care doctor and he said "obesity is obesity. It's sort of like being a little pregnant. You can't be. You either are or you aren't". So THAT'S why I wanted to have surgery at just over 180 lbs.

Just wanted to drop in and gross everyone out . I had to have my surgery in Houston, 4 hours away from my hometown (very stupid insurance reason, whole 'nother story). I returned to houston for a post op visit and treated myself to a swanky hotel. When I got up in the morning my glue and scabs had came off in the bedding!! Ugh! I almost gagged! I did remove them and flush em down the toilet if that makes anyone feel better. Anyhow one incision still itches when I shower and I am 4 weeks out. Good times!

I am down about 33 lbs. My diet changed today to include regular foods as tolerated. My soft diet included chicken and tuna so I pushed that to turkey and well ground beef and even pork. So far I hadn't consumed anything that I wasn't already eating. I think my cravings for sodas has increased, however I am better tolerating being around normal folks while they are eating. I really wish I could go to the restroom (probably drop some weight if I weren't so stopped up). TMI? Hesitant to take something that isn't gentle. I don't know exactly how much protein and oz I am getting. I just eat low/no carb and highest protein I can. Doc probably wouldn't like that but I hate all shakes. I have yet to try unjury, but my package of it came today so we'll see.

I have CIGNA. The contact # on the bottom of my card is 18002446224. You could always try calling that number just to see if they can even find you. That might give an indication on who you need to talk to. If they say "nope, can't find you" then you know they aren't carrying your policy. Though I wonder if Harrington is just a benefits administrator. Keep us posted. I am curious. Hope you get what you need. My husband changed jobs 1 month before I was scheduled for surgery. We had CIGNA and changed to United Health Care and the policy we got through UHC excluded bariatric surgery (his company is new and chose this policy). So I kept CIGNA through COBRA and just had my surgery December 10th and CIGNA paid for it. GOOD LUCK!\

Just call Cigna and see if you have an active policy. They can tell you right away and their phone lines are open all night I believe.

Diving post op? Like scuba diving. It's one of my favorite things to do. I did do it within the last year pre op (sleeved 12/10/2012), but its not too cute squeezing by big butt into a wetsuit and having to be strapped with 21 lbs of weights. Cuz FYI.. fat floats! I am in the planning stages of my next vacation and I wanted to return to my favorite place in Mexico to dive. I am concerned about air in my belly or getting sea sick. Is it any different than before? I should be about 4.5 months post op when we go.

I am 3.5 weeks out, sleeved on December 10th. I have been mostly okay. Tired and dehydrated, I am sure due to not achieving my liquid and protein goals. During the last few days I have been slightly nauseated, but today I started getting pain in my lower back. The pain is on both the left and right side of my low back/upper buttocks. I am worried because I thought I read somewhere on this board that it could be a sign of a leak. Any advice would be appreciated! My husband leaves in the am for work and will be out of state for a few days atleast. I will be alone with 2 kids and I am afraid of being sick.

Thanks guys. I am drinking as much as possible. I do crystal lite and oddly enough plain water is fine with me post op. I just have a hard time getting the 64oz I need.

I ordered some last week! You know the name unjury just doesn't scream (I am yummy..consume me), but I read many good things about it so I finally just went ahead and ordered 2 sample packs. Hopefully they will be in this week.

I was sleeved on the 10th and at this moment I am miserable! Having made it through Christmas on soft foods without cheating it is now my birthday today. Currently I'm on the couch while my family enjoys a huge roast, scalloped potatoes, green beans, bread and now cheesecake. I had nothing but crystal light. I can't get in all of my daily protein bc I hate the taste of every shake I have tried since surgery. I am dehydrated and tired. That pretty much sums up my pity party! On the other hand I am down over 25 lbs since surgery day and nearly to a size 12 from 16. If my belly button wasn't still a little tender I'd be fine in a 12 My incisions look good and I have very little discomfort.

Today while recovering from my upper GI I received a call from the insurance coordinator at my surgeon's office. She informed me that I had been denied for my surgery next Tuesday due to the fact that the surgery was taking place at a hospital that is not a bariatric center of excellence. From the beginning of this insurance process in January I have communicated with CIGNA several times regarding my surgery and the steps I had to take for approval and NEVER has this been mentioned as a requirement. The coordinator has spoken to CIGNA several times regarding the criteria and CIGNA did not inform them that I had to have the surgery at a BCE. Aside from the problem that I really like my surgeon and have been with him and his staff since February there are no BCE within 200 miles of my home. Even when I called the preauth dept, benefits dept, and a few other departments at CIGNA today not once did I get the same answer about where I could have my surgery. I am so devestated. I don't really know if anyone has had this same experience, but if you have please let me know. I would like to appeal, but I want to make sure I do it right.

I spoke to the head of HR for my company and she contacted CIGNA on my behalf. Apparently I am not the only one with this problem right now. CIGNA acknowledged that they are failing to notify patients or doctor's of their requirement that the surgery must be done at a CIGNA approved COE. In the denial letter it says denied due to the fact that hospital X is not a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. When in fact my hospital IS a COE just not a "CIGNA" COE. Even the denial letter is not specific enough to say that they don't just mean a COE but a "CIGNA" COE which there are none within 200 miles. Today when I called CIGNA to ask where I could have my surgery they gave me the wrong information yet again and told me my hospital is on the list of acceptable facilities. This is not my mistake it is CIGNA's and I don't understand what else I could have done to make sure I was seeking services from a surgeon affiliated with a hospital that they approve of. Ultimately I just want to have the procedure I need, but I am terribly uncomfortable driving 4 hours away and not receiving the follow up care that I need. If I were to have surgery in Houston and be discharged home and had a complication at home I could not call my doctor and have him meet me in the local ER. That is a huge risk that CIGNA is forcing me to take. I am so frustrated, but I am not giving up. I am considering having a bariatric advocate handle the appeal for me. Has anyone ever done anything like that? What can I expect?

I have CIGNA too and my Dr's office submitted yesterday. They said it usually takes a few days to hear back from CIGNA. I have heard it took weeks from others, but I guess the Dr's office knows best. Supposedly the coordinator at my doctor is going to call them tomorrow, which will mean CIGNA will have had my info for only about 2 days, and ask for expedited approval. My surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, July 31st. Has anyone else heard back from CIGNA this quickly? I don't want to change my surgery date, but they couldn't send out my packet before this week due to test results etc. I did gain and lose throught the supervised diet program. However, when I started I was below my norm. Now during the preop I am sure I am losing a few lbs. My BMI is 36.

I have CIGNA OAP as well. I was wondering if CIGNA considers GERD a comorbidity? This is the only comorbidity that I have current documentation of having an offical dx. My BMI is 35-36. I have completed 5 months of the formerly required 6 months nutritionist supervised diet (its now 3 months). I have completed the psychiatric evaluation. I have had a few visits with my surgeon including the initial consult and a couple of follow ups. Now I am just prepping myself to visit with my PCP, which I am nervous about. I don't know if I have other comorbidities. Of course my knees, hips and back all hurt. My left foot has had 2 stress fractures. My blood pressure has increased by about 20-30 pts, but it was actually VERY low when I wasn't this overweight years and years ago. The top pressure was under 100 most of the time. So I don't see that I have HBP exactly. I haven't been tested for sleep apnea, pulmonary hypertension, hyperlipidemia (sp?) etc. I guess I just don't know where to start with the comorbs. I feel terrible all the time so something isn't right. I have avoided doctors for a while because I know they would tell me to "just lost weight and you will feel better" and I couldn't keep the weight that I lost off. UGH. Sorry to unload, but I am so nervous that I will be denied.