Jacqueline K

I have UHC and was approved first go round with a bmi of 55. I had no issues getting approved and the only thing they wanted me to do was psych eval which I did. I did have a high deductible and out of pocket max though and have spent $3500 out of pocket. Small price to pay though I think. My plan is with Wells Fargo though so its a really good one. UHC has so many different plans- several years ago I was on my former stepdad's UHC plan and they did not cover the surgery at all. It just all depends. So sorry about your denial- I would appeal though. Many people on here were denied the first time and approved later. Good luck! Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

I didn't write letters but I told everyone I loved them the night before. I also made sure to hold my nieces tight since I knew I wouldn't be able to pick them up like that for a while. My sister was a little irritated because I picked the baby up out of her bassinet after bedtime but oh well. Lol Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

Half of a lean cuisine Mac and cheese and some soft cooked yellow squash. Was so good and is sitting well! Everything I've tried today has made me feel sick (had stricture stretched Thursday so pouch is sore). Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

Yes by sister brewed it with tea bags for me. Loving it! Just adding a little sweet and low to mine. Makes me happy. Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

I know you have been waiting a while! You'll do great. Hope you have an easy recovery. Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

I talked to several nurses in my surgeon' office 3 weeks ago and they believe I have a stricture. I have had to go back to liquids since then. They told me my surgeon won't do a EGD until we are 6 weeks post. I will be 6 weeks this Thursday. I'm planning to call tomorrow to see if they will schedule me finally. You know... I could deal with the vomiting when things get stuck. The pain though is nearly unbearable! It's getting steadily worse and when I drink now I feel the pain though its tolerable unlike when I have anything that's not a total liquid. Even puréed foods cause crazy pain. The other night I had to make my best friend pull over so I could puke on the side of the road! I really think if they won't schedule me I may go crazy. Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

Expect to be in the bathroom a couple times an hour for several hours. I was still having diarrhea the next morning! I was afraid I'd poop during surgery. I didn't of course. Get some wet wipes to clean with. The toilet paper after all that will make you really raw. Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

Yeah I used Lauren's hope to get mine. I love it. Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

Off IV fluids as of this morning and they said I can go home this afternoon. Ate breakfast! Real food! Grits, eggs, and toast. I finished most of it. I kept waiting for it to hurt and it never did. I'm so relieved that I can eat again. Just took a shower and it felt wonderful! Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

I'm thinking they wanted to make sure it wasn't just swelling or usual nausea. I knew something was wrong but I guess they hear that a lot? Not sure but I was miserable. Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

They are keeping me again overnight. They are going to move me from liquids ( which I'm on at the moment) to purée/ soft foods and see how I do before they let me go. Just making sure the EGD was successful or if I need another dilation. I'm glad they are really making sure I'm good. Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

Just got back to my room from EGD. They did find a stricture and dilated it. So happy to know I'll get better. Hoping to go home today. Thank you everyone for your support! Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

So they have done gastrografin test and barium tablet. The tablet test showed what they think is a stricture. My pee was brown and they think I have a UTI as well. So they are starting antibiotics and I'm on fluids as well. They are admitting me probably for the night. They are looking at doing the EGD in the morning to correct the stricture. I don't want to stay but I am glad they are going to fix me! Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

Oh no! Guess I have that to look forward to tomorrow then. I have zofran and phenergen and they didn't help with the nausea either. Its not typical nausea though... things are coming back up or feel like they are regardless of the medicine you take. There is just no where for the food/drink to go and no amount of anti-nausea meds are going to force the food down. Hopefully they will get to you soon and fix you up. I know how awful the pain is.... feels like someone is squeezing as hard as they can around your rib cage. It's nearly unbearable. Feel better!

Well I finally got in touch with them.... no one ever did call back today either but I emailed the head RN and she got my coordinator involved. Dr wants me to go to the ER tomorrow and they will run barium test and Upper GI. Then they will page him with the results and decide what to do. Going to the ER just seems really stupid to me but I'll do whatever at this point to get some relief! I've already told my boss I'll need to leave early so I can do this. I'm so happy that they are finally going to do something for me after 3 weeks.

Since I've been dealing with a stricture I haven't been able to get close to 1000 (my doctor told me to stay around that too) and I have also noticed that on days I get more calories I lose more. I would up your calories from 800 to 1000-1200 (since you're male) and see if that helps speed up the weight loss.

Just called again and left another message- receptionist said she'd tell the nurse to check the voicemail this time. It shouldn't be this hard to get in touch with someone! I don't know about you but I honestly feel sometimes as though now that I'm post-op they don't care as much. Pre-op they needed to reel me in and get my money but now that they have been paid they just don't seem to care as much. I might just be too emotional since I've been dealing with this but I don't feel like they'd really tried to help me. I hope we both get our strictures fixed soon so we can eat! And drink.... I'm dehydrated and have been for weeks. I probably should have gone to the ER a few times but my veins are really hard to find... add dehydration to that mix and I just know they'd have to stick me many many times. Just the thought of that has kept me from going.

Left a message for a nurse at 9am. It's nearly 6pm and NO one called me back. I am beyond angry with my surgeon's office at this point. Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

If you feel like things are getting stuck especially water then you should probably call your surgeon. You really need to be eating more than once a day... there is no way you are getting enough calories and protein that way. Not that I'm getting enough either but I've known that my doctor won't do anything until 6 weeks post. Don't get me started on how upset I am about that. For me the pain is the worst part. It feels like someone is squeezing under my rib cage as hard as they can and the pain radiates around my rib cage to my back. I feel like I can hardly breath and the whole time I'm feeling food sitting in my throat. Sometimes it comes all the way back up and sometimes it doesn't. It started on just a few items and then progressed to pureed and like I said now I'm feeling this way with liquids too. One of the nurses I spoke to a few weeks ago honestly had the nerve to tell me that if I got too bad dehydrated to go to the ER for fluids. Seriously? Are ya'll going to pay that bill? I've called them and left a message to set up the scope and I'm praying they can get me in this week finally. Good luck to you!

I have found the bike I want to buy. It's a schwinn and its pink with a basket. I'm still over the weight limit but not for much longer. Have 37 pounds till I'm 300 which is the limit. I haven't ridden a bike in years. I'm so excited. Did I mention its pink?! Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

I had a few bites the other night and made my friend stop the car on the way home so I could throw up. I don't know if its because of my stricture or if it was the Chinese in general. I'll try it later on once my stricture is corrected and see. I love it and hope I can still enjoy it. Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

I got mine from laurens hope. Lots of nice ones on there. Mine says no blind ng tube, no NSAIDs, asthma, gb rny, and latex allergy. Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk