AshevilleEddie

Well, I saw a tiny light at the end of the tunnel today. My current PCP's office called the old doc's. Let me just say, I've got the best doc with the best staff in the entire world! Don't know which of the ladies made the call, but she got the old doc's office (the nasty biotch, I assume :ogre ) to agree to print out a history of my weights for the two years I saw him! I can still get the full charts if necessary, but the WLC said this info should suffice. And the best part? They should have it by tomorrow!! I'm not getting overly excited yet, but I am certainly more optimistic today. God, this is such a roller coaster ride...

Actually dear, it was a triple post. :heh: On a completely separate note, I got denied today! :angry WTF? I'm apparently not fat enough to be automatically approved. My BMI is just under 37, but I'm diabetic and have high blood pressure (I'm on three diabetes meds and three BP meds for Christ's sake!) and high cholesterol/triglycerides. They want FIVE YEARS' of medical records! And if that wasn't enough, the WLC faxed a records request to my old PCP - it's going to be 7-10 days before they will MAIL my records - they won't even fax them! And the woman I talked to there was such a bitch! "That's our protocol." WHAT? There's a protocol for getting a copy of a chart? Oh yeah, here's the kicker. She snidely pointed out that there were other people waiting for their records and that I "haven't been seen in the office for over three years." What the fuck does that have to do with anything??? Is she mad because I changed doctors and now go to one less than a mile from my home and work? AAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!! Ok, rant over. At least for the time being...

:angry Damn those friggin' insurance companies and doctors' offices! I was denied today too! My BMI is just under 37, but I have diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol/triglycerides. They want to see FIVE years' worth of medical records before they'll even consider approving me! Three years with my current PCP plus the psych letter from a psychiatrist I've actually been seeing for about 7 years aren't enough. So the WLC faxed a records request over to my old PCP's office. I called to follow up and get an ETA and was told that since I hadn't been seen in their office for over three years that it would be 7 to 10 days, plus they were going to mail my records, they won't fax them. That's going to add another two weeks to the process, not to mention how long it's going to take the insurance company to review my case. How many f'ing hoops do I have to jump through to prove I've been fat for 34 of m 42 years?!? The insurance company has probably spent more on me for prescriptions and Dr visits in the last two years alone than WLS will cost them to cover. I'm just so PISSED!!!

Well, that's ok. It would have been difficult to explain to DH anyway...

Hmm, you don't happen to play for my team, do you? :guess

You know what they say about a guy with big feet, right? He wears big shoes!

I haven't done this one personally, but I've heard it really does work. I may actually use it as my pre-op diet to get my blood sugars under better control before I go in...

Um, wow! That's today, right? (it's been a loooonnnggg day) Congrats! :high5: How are you feeling? I'm pretty impressed that you are even looking at a computer today! I still don't have a date yet, but insurance was filed yesterday so it's getting close...

Damn, I know this the Rants & Raves section, but some of the comments in this thread are absurd. Gadgetlady, I understand how you feel about abortion. I feel pretty much the same way. There is no way, scientific or otherwise that we can ever know exactly when life begins, so I err on the side of caution and believe that it begins at conception. HOWEVER, NO ONE has the right to tell a woman what she can do with her body or anything inside it. Taking away personal rights is your Crisco-laden slippery slope. And as for the abortion clinic protesters who demonize women headed into those clinics, I can speak from personal experience because I've been there - that is exactly what happens. Those women are shown pictures of (supposedly) aborted fetuses and told (screamed at, to be exact) that they are murderers and are going to hell. So don't tell me it doesn't happen that way. Are you kidding me? If you're going to have a rational, adult dialogue don't say sh!t like this. You're stooping to a very low level, one to which, from reading many of your posts, you are intelligent and articulate enough to not have to stoop (that was a compliment, BTW...).

BJean, you asked for it, so here it is! I can speak from both personal experience and first hand knowledge of others on the Nature vs. Nurture thing. My earliest childhood memories are from about age 3 1/2 and even at that age I knew that I was somehow different. By 6 or so, I knew that I liked taking a bath with my best friend, and it wasn't because we played with toy sailboats in the tub! Of course at that age there was no overt sexual connotation. By 9 or 10 (about the time that most kids start to have some understanding of sex) I knew what it was that made me different. It was very difficult to grow up Gay in the South, especially in a very religious community. One of my sisters was (and still is) married to a Baptist pastor, the other was very involved in her (Southern Baptist) church. Oddly enough, my brother was the most accepting. My mother said she always knew but just didn't want to admit it, because she thought it was "her fault." My dad simply didn't want to know anything. Although I had always tried to suppress my true feelings, after becoming a Christian at age 16, I began to try and seek assistance from others in an attempt to be Str8. For almost two decades I tried everything. Secular counseling, pastoral counseling, sex therapy, prayer, fasting, you name it I tried it. The sex therapist I saw went so far as to put me through aversion therapy. This consisted of two things; First, if I was at home, I had to keep ammonia and cotton balls handy. If I had a "homosexual thought" I had to douse a cotton ball with the ammonia and inhale as deeply as I could, over and over until the thoughts went away. Second, If I was away from home, I had to wear a rubber band around my wrist, and every time I had one of those "homosexual thoughts" I had to snap the rubber band on my wrist as hard as I could. I also spent several months living on the base of a conservative Christian youth organization. I was expected (though in all fairness not forced) to share every intimate detail of my life, including thoughts and feelings, as well as actions. Of course masturbation was a sin, so if I did it I "confessed" and was given "consequences" (usually bible verses to memorize, and sometimes extra chores). And those homosexual thoughts? Well, that usually amounted to having to memorize entire chapters of the bible, then write what amounted to essays about what I'd read plus those lovely extra chores. I could go on and on, but I think I've made my point. I did all those things willingly and sincerely. I honestly wanted to change. But the more I tried (or didn't try, just "let go and let God") the more depressed and despondant I became. Ultimately, the faith that had been so strong for so long simply vanished. I literally wanted to die. The only thing that kept me from doing the deed was my children. And it was as much for my children as for myself that I finally decided to stop trying to live a false life. My faith never did come back as strongly as it had once been. After everything I had been put through by so-called Christians and being asked to leave two churches simply for being Gay, I sorta gave up on organized religion. And while I do still identify as Christian, I now have more questions than answers. But at least I am now living an honest, truthful life. I don't wear my orientation on my sleeve, but I don't lie about who I am either. I'm just me. Now at the beginning of this soliloquy, I stated that I was also drawing on the experiences of others, as well as my own. I know countless other GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgendered) people whose stories are in every way except the exact details just like mine. As for those who say that have successfully changed their orientation, I believe with all my heart that while they may be sincere in that belief, they are only deluding themselves and in time they will either come to realize that or die very unhappy and unfulfilled. EVERY person I have ever known that has had the misfortune of being a part of an ex-gay ministry (oh, I forgot to mention that I did that too) has ultimately come to realize who they truly are. So to wrap up this extremely long post, there is no doubt in my mind that where sexual orientation is concerned, every human being is born with a genetic destiny that (while repressible and hideable) is inerrant and unchangeable. JMHO...

Hmm, ok. Been there, tried that. Got two kids out of it. Won't go back. Maybe one day I'll spill the whole story, but here's the gist of it: I was raised Southern Baptist, so even though I'd known all my life that I was Gay, I tried everything possible to be Str8, including getting married and having kids. My ex-wife turned out to be a psycho bitch so I divorced her to keep my kids safe (not because I was Gay, just to clarify). Nine months after the divorce was final I decided to quit playing "the game." I came out and started dating men. A year or so later I met DH and we've been together ever since. In fact, Monday was nine years. We're going to New England/New York for vacation next spring and he asked me to marry him in Massachusetts :sleep(the only state where same-sex marriage is legal). I told him I'd have to check my calendar and get back to him. Don't want to come across as easy, you know...

EWWW!! Of course I do realize that's every Str8 man's fantasy...

5 lbs...WOO HOO! :clap2:

I agree...partially. Iceburg lettuce is pretty much just crunchy Water. Romaine and others (the darker the better) are much better choices. Spinach salad is probably one of the best, and tastes great too! Toss on a little low-fat cheese and some olive oil & vinegar dressing...yum!

Wow, I just noticed the volume of food you're actually eating. Three oz of chicken plus 1/2 cup each asparagus and green beans is a lot of food. Your pouch should not even be able to hold that much, especially if you've already had fills. I would definitely talk to your Dr about this...

Add another voice to the "too many carbs" chorus. I have done the low carb thing in the past and it really will get things moving better than low fat, especially if you are at all metabolically "challenged." Carbs are carbs, period. Some may be metabolized more slowly than others, but the end result is the same. So sugar-free foods don't really make a difference if the carb count is the same. Plus if the sugar is replaced with sugar alcohols, they can give you diarrhea. :omg: Another factor to consider is that since Protein foods are denser, they actually fill you up faster and keep you satisfied longer. The chicken and asparagus are great choices, but try an egg instead of the bagel (you could even make an omelet with egg or egg white (which I personally can't stomach) and a little low-fat cheese - don't use fat-free, it replaces the fat with too many carbs, plus it doesn't melt!). As for the pineapple juice, you may as well be drinking sugar water! Try a Protein shake, or better yet Isopure to drink instead. It tastes sort of like Crystal Light but has 50 grams of protein per bottle. On to your Snacks - the pretzels and trail mix, again, too many carbs. A few nuts a couple of times a week add some protein, Vitamins and minerals and will give you something to crunch on, but dried fruit is packed with carbs and useless calories and pretzels have pretty much zero nutritional value. Oh, and it would be better if you cut out the Pasta too, but if you do eat it at least there are whole-grain pastas out there now that are better choice. The carbs/calories are a bit lower because of the increased Fiber content. And they really don't taste any different that regular pasta IMO. Don't forget to drink as much Water as you can. It's supposed to help you feel full (doesn't do a thing for me), but beyond that it actually helps boost your metabolism so it should give you a little jump start to get losing again. We all have to learn to make better choices. The band is just a tool - make it work for you! Good luck!

I don't think there are too many people willing to jump into surgery without having thought long and hard about it. And I'd be willing to bet that the vast majority of us have tried pretty much every other alternative first. Sounds to me like she either doesn't understand obesity at all or she's just trying to make as much money as she can off each patient.

One visit should suffice. And an extra fee to write a letter?? I would go back to that list from your PCP and find someone else, even if you have to travel a little farther...

BTW, I had my first visit with the surgeon today. I'm 4-6 weeks away, max. WOO HOO! DH also had his first fill today (4 cc).

Absolutely no need to apologize. Like Tracy said, that's what this area of the forums is here for. Just don't expect everyone to agree with you...

You know, I wanted to say that but didn't want to come across as catty. Not implying that whoever did say that was being catty...

Well, as one of the resident homos here I can assure you that I do have faith (same as yours, BTW). It is not exclusive of my sexual orientation, nor is my orientation exclusive of my faith. They are both simply part of who I am. Neither alone defines me. Just don't go thinking you need to "save" me and we'll get along just fine...

OH MY FREAKIN' WORD! That is SOO nasty!! But of course I'm laughing my a$$ off too! :guess On a serious note, it's a good thing it was just vitamins they screwed up on. Glad you're ok...

Hmm, I wonder if this tends to be a same-gender parent issue? My mother would have been worried about me getting banded, but would have been 110% supportive (sadly, we lost her 2 1/2 years ago). My dad on the other hand (still alive), will probably be like "Oh, ok." or something like that. If he notices at all, he probably won't admit it. He's pretty much been that way all my life. After 40+ years, I've finally come to realize that's just the way he is and he probably doesn't mean anything negative by it. Either way, I've also learned to just not give a rat's ass what he thinks! :lalala:

WTF? I'm glad I found the page that said it was a joke...