Frustrated

I was beginning to think everyone had disappeared. For some reason my e-mail notifications weren't letting me know there were updates to the thread. I finally came here manually and discovered there were 3 pages worth of posts to read. Dini: Thanks for the info. I remember reading about it earlier in the thread but had forgotten who it was that posted it. I'm glad things have improved for you and you're back on track again. With any luck I'll be mid-cycle on surgery day, but Murphy's law and all.... It'll be just my luck that I get it early just to keep life interesting! :eek: I don't have any more questions at the moment, but that doesn't mean a hundred won't pop into my head at any time. Sunshine6855: I'm getting banded the same day as you. Guess that makes us band sisters. :biggrin1: Kathybad: I hadn't even thought about port location being so important. I don't want it in the underwire bra section and I don't think I want it under my ribs, bothering me when I sleep. So that's definitely a question for the doctor when I go for a pre-op visit next week. Dini also brought up the type of port. I have no idea! I've been so consumed with jumping through hoops trying to get insurance approval that these little important questions just fell by the wayside. But I'm making a list and checking it twice now. Thanks ladies!

Hey Dini, I have a couple of questions for you. When you came around after the surgery, did you feel like you'd been hit by a truck or anything? How long was it before you felt up to getting around; even if it was just to sit and watch TV or something? When did you start an exercise regime, what was it, and how did the first one go? I know everyone recovers at different rates, but it would be great to hear how you got on.

I liked this. I've felt exactly the same way. But my weight has been responsible for other health issues - PCOS, insulin resistance, pain in my right knee from having to carry all this extra weight. The list is slowly, but surely, increasing and I know that my weight is the major culprit with all of these issues. Eliminate the culprit, eliminate or significantly reduce the problems. I'm sooooo fortunate to have a wonderfully supportive husband. I know he loves me no matter what the packaging looks like, but I don't love me right now. And that's very important. He's encouraged me towards getting the surgery as he's seen me struggle with each and almost every diet in the world to try to get this weight off permanently. I've been successful in a number of diets getting it down, but keeping it down is a whole different ballgame. It's like my body awakens to the fact that something is depleting it of it's fat deposits and goes to work to counter those measures. A diet that worked wonders for a couple of months or so will, for no reason, start to work against me. I have another goal to add to my list. I want to weigh less than my husband. He's 5'9 and currently weighs 163. He struggles to keep weight on and we've been battling our respective weight issues for the past 4 years. He's trying to go up to 180 and stay there, I've been trying to get down to (at least) 180. We've both come within 5lbs of our goal but suffered setbacks. If we could switch problems back and forth, it would have solved so many issues. On July 9 (his birthday), we get to celebrate by being at the hospital at 7:30am for bloodwork, X ray, EKG, and upper GI tests. Then we'll pop over to the Dr's office for one last test (forgotten what that is). I don't know as yet whether or not I'll be required to do a pre-op diet. As a diet veteran, I'm not overly concerned either way. I am sooooooooo tired of not being in control of my weight. I can control my intake of food and exercise efficiently, I just need for my body to get with the program! At first I wished my surgery were scheduled for earlier in the month, but I'm actually looking forward to reading all of your experiences before it's my turn on the table. Lucky 7's start today. Go us!! :whoo:

Thanks Chimboree. Probably been asked before, but could you tell me where this calendar is?

This is happened to me as well ronik. I've just had my first visit to an orthopedic specialist. I told him that I believed my weight was a big factor, he agreed. After looking at the results of my MRI, it showed I have a meniscus tear - the soft padding between the bone that allows it to rotate smoothly. For now we're trying drug therapy (Celebrex) to ease the swelling in that knee. We both agree that losing weight will go a long way to easing the discomfort, but surgery may still be an option to clean out some of the torn stuff. Do you also have an audible crunching sound in your knee when you bend it? Does it give way at times? Is it painful? These are the other symptoms I have as well. It's difficult to get out and walk when you depend so much on healthy limbs carrying you. I've been seriously thinking of taking up Aquarobics so there's no weight at all on it. Bike riding? Not quite yet, I'll wait till I lose some of the extra weight around the middle so my thighs aren't hitting my stomach when I pedal.

Some of you have been mentioning goals. When reading through your lists it's made me think "Yes! I remember when I could do that!" So here's mine: - To look in the mirror without feeling depressed or disgusted. - To sit on a chair/couch with my legs crossed. - To sit on a chair/couch, draw my legs up and rest my chin on my knees. - To not have to shop in the Plus section. - To not have to take a deep breath before having to get out of a chair or the car. - To not have my size be the first thing people notice about me. - To be able to sit on Wicker furniture. - To be able to tie my shoes on without working up a sweat. - To not waddle or swing my arm when I walk. (this one I make a conscience effort not to do, but at times when I'm tired, I catch myself in "fat waddle" mode. :straight I'll stop now before this turns into too much of a depressive rant for me.

I'm feeling somewhat guilty. I chose my user name because at the time it fitted me perfectly. I'm not longer "frustrated" because my insurance company approved me just last week after successfully appealing their decision to deny me. I was fortunate enough to be able to deal with someone with common sense when the original person I dealt with went on vacation. When she called me last week and told me I'd been approved I was ecstatic. The moment I hung up the phone I started having doubts. Even though she said I'd been approved, I still hadn't received my approval letter. So I then wallowed for 7 days. It arrived in the mail Monday. The celebrations began once again. Then I started thinking, well what if it's not worded to the satisfactory of my surgeon, Dr Cribbins, Dallas Texas? Again my emotions plummeted. But I spoke with his surgery co-ordinator and she assured me that yes, I was approved. I had her repeat it several times during our conversation as we set up appointments for pre-op visits and tests. I asked her one final time before hanging up. My surgery date is scheduled for July 26. Plenty of time for many more roller-coaster emotions no doubt. :eek:

Hi singdeborah, As far as I'm aware, they have 30 days to respond to your claim. If it's only been 3 weeks, I guess technically they have a few more days. But it wouldn't hurt to call them again and ask for a status update. Make sure you take note of whom you speak with when you call.

Hi stomaszewski, I just joined today and as you can see, I'm Frustrated. In more ways than one. My insurance company also rejected me last week. My weight was too low by .1 (if you can believe that). I was also claiming that I had comorbidity issues (diabetes), but was told I wasn't being medicated enough for it. I was also told that my elected surgeon missed the cut-off point for a peer-to-peer interview. They'd called him 2 hours before the office closed for the weekend and expected to hear back from him before close of day. However, there's a time difference between our insurance company's office (California) and where me and my surgeon's office is located (Texas). My surgeon managed to sort out the peer-to-peer issue, but now I have to deal with the other issues myself. I guess. I was horrified when I was told I wasn't unhealthy enough, and that I wasn't obese enough. I've been working my tail off unsuccessfully for what seems like half my life to permanently lose this weight, only to be told my surgery is not medically necessary. What am I to do to try to avoid other medical necessities in the future? It's like I'm being punished for trying to avoid further health risks. Hope you don't mind me jumping on your soapbox and having my own little rant. I know it doesn't help solve any of our problems, but it's somehow comforting to know there's someone else who shares my pain and frustration. :angry