circa

Okay, I finally got all my medical records together. 4 states and 12 doctors - and not a damned one of them was consistant with putting my weight on there! I have weights entered for the following years: 1999, 2003 and 2006 - uuhhhh what about the other years?! Was I in some anti-gravity bubble in your office that made it so I had no weight?! I had a blood pressure and a height, but no freaking weight! And the kicker is, for most of these visits, I was going for WEIGHT RELATED ISSUES! And they wonder why its so hard to get approved! Insurance companies can't be blamed for this type of thing, but doctors' can certainly use my boot in their arses for this kind of crap.

don't forget the "you're a hellbound terrorist" lol - at least that's what I'm told by my bible thumping sister.

we've already contacted my insurance company - its a no-go without the documents. Basically, I have a blank chart with just dates - no notes, no weights, nothing. The nurse and PA at the doctor's office are going through check-ins and their memories to create some sort of record in the form of a letter to help

I too have Aetna - I don't have 5 years of history, I have 99, 2000, I think 2001, 2003, 2006 and 2007 but nothing inbetween. I mean, if I was fat in those years, what makes them think I was sneakily skinny the other years just to go back to being fat the other years just to trick them? Anyway - my advocate is working on it.

It amazes me how many doctors don't have post-op and post-fill instructions for their patients. I haven't even met with my surgeon yet and I know from my advocate and the office staff exactly what I'm supposed to do. They've given me all the information verbally and in writing, and they said they'll give it to me every time I come in so that its ingrained in me and each time I look at it, I might have a different question and this will get all my questions answered. I think I know more about the surgery now than a lot of people that have already had it lol

Oh my gosh - that makes so much sense! You wouldn't comment about someone's teeth, would you? That's the best analogy I can think of! Thanks!

There's nothing homoerotic about it though. Women are supposed to nurture - especially themselves

It depends on where you live, really - in some areas, 6 figures just gets you into "middle class"

Well, that's because "all gay men have tract lighting, all gay men are named Mark, Rick or Steve" - have you NOT seen Steel Magnolias?! My brother gets the "You don't act Gay" or "You don't look Gay" all the time. He's a cop - he's on a SWAT team at that. His response is often "Oh - I'm sorry, I forgot to burst into flames before walking in the room so you would have a firm grasp on my personal life - this is my undercover policeman disguise!"

honey - its completely normal for your hormones to rage! And yes, there are plenty of ahem battery operated partners out there - you just have to find the right one haha! :confused:

On and off in my life as the weight has gone down, the fibro symptoms have gotten better - this is because there's less weight on your nerves and other sensitive tissues, etc. However, fibro is an idiopathic diagnosis - there's something that causes it but they don't know what it is - see if you can find out what it is - have your doctor test your heavy metals - that's a big culprit of fibro symptoms. Have them check you multiple times during your monthly cycle for things like lupus and lyme disease as well as hashimotos, oddly enough, where you are in your cycle can effect the ANA results on your blood screen - I found this one out the hard way - the hormones can really affect this. Its much easier to find out what's causing it than to try and live with it.

I think my favorites are: That women are mechanically inept. That just because someone doesn't have a law degree that they can't interpret a legal document That all people from the south have poor grammar That just because I have very pale skin doesn't mean I'm a goth lol - I've just had enough battles with skin cancer - let me be white, dammit! :confused:

I'm leaning toward not having the surgery done. Not because I don't want it, but because I don't have any support. I can't even get my patient advocate to return my calls or emails and my insurance company won't talk to me. I'm not sure where to go or what to do next. I guess I'll just move on with my life - or what I have of it.

The doctor has changed my medications - I'm getting off the steroids as soon as possible (I have to be weaned) - Things aren't going that well with my treatments, but hopefully this changeup does some good. This will be the defining factor as to whether or not I go ahead with the surgery.

The doctor has changed my medications - I'm getting off the steroids as soon as possible (I have to be weaned) - Things aren't going that well with my treatments, but hopefully this changeup does some good. This will be the defining factor as to whether or not I go ahead with the surgery.

Its none of anyone's business! :eek: If you wanna tell them, which, there's no shame in a nip/tuck at any time, tell them it was time for you to treat yourself like the hollywood starlet you really are! :car:

I'm really going between having the surgery and not having the surgery. I mean, is it really going to benefit me? Do I want to go this route, or do I want to do it the way I always could before? I don't know. I have no clue what I really want to do. Do I need the surgery? No, I don't NEED it. I'm tired of the anxiety that this is creating - not the problems - that's not bothering me, just the anxiety that the thought of having this surgery is giving me. I don't know that its right for me, I really don't. If it bothers me to even tell my husband about it, can it really be right? I know that eventually, I will get my energy back. I know I'll be able to work very very hard and get the weight off. But do I want to wait for that? My big concern is that I don't want my family to see me like I am now. I'm embarrassed of what has happened to me. No, its not all my fault - but yeah, some of it is. I'm tired of the looks and stares - like when I go get a very very healthy smoothie - people look at me like "what's the fat lady doing getting something healthy???" - Someone actually said something once to the person they were with - and I retorted with "I'm sure it probably does make you feel better to pick on someone who's fatter than you, but how does it make you feel to pick on someone that has a dehabilitating disease that is treated with medications that make it nearly impossible to get out of bed because of the painful side effects and the enormous amount of weight gain caused by it - not to mention the chemo-like IV treatments - yeah. Are you on your way to the cancer ward now to laugh at the bald kids?" I thought the person was going to start to cry - GOOD - maybe next time they'll think twice.

I'm really going between having the surgery and not having the surgery. I mean, is it really going to benefit me? Do I want to go this route, or do I want to do it the way I always could before? I don't know. I have no clue what I really want to do. Do I need the surgery? No, I don't NEED it. I'm tired of the anxiety that this is creating - not the problems - that's not bothering me, just the anxiety that the thought of having this surgery is giving me. I don't know that its right for me, I really don't. If it bothers me to even tell my husband about it, can it really be right? I know that eventually, I will get my energy back. I know I'll be able to work very very hard and get the weight off. But do I want to wait for that? My big concern is that I don't want my family to see me like I am now. I'm embarrassed of what has happened to me. No, its not all my fault - but yeah, some of it is. I'm tired of the looks and stares - like when I go get a very very healthy smoothie - people look at me like "what's the fat lady doing getting something healthy???" - Someone actually said something once to the person they were with - and I retorted with "I'm sure it probably does make you feel better to pick on someone who's fatter than you, but how does it make you feel to pick on someone that has a dehabilitating disease that is treated with medications that make it nearly impossible to get out of bed because of the painful side effects and the enormous amount of weight gain caused by it - not to mention the chemo-like IV treatments - yeah. Are you on your way to the cancer ward now to laugh at the bald kids?" I thought the person was going to start to cry - GOOD - maybe next time they'll think twice.

Absolutely - even as simple as looking for a marker for cushings- adding a cortisol check to the bloodwork would probably do wonders. It would at least point people in the right direction, be it cushings disease or cushings syndrome. At least they would know that they have an issue with their adrenals. Adding the cort-stim test would be an even better option since it would not only rule out cushings, but also it would differentiate between the disease and the syndrome in one fail swoop.

Holy smokin hot, batman! Wow you look AMAZING!

I didn't say I was unhappy with my doctor. I in fact, said I was VERY happy with my doctor.

Darling, damn, dear, (any other adjective beginning with the letter D) Husband

So my psych eval is scheduled for next Friday. I'm actually kinda stoked to go to one of these. I've never had anything like that done. I mean, I went to a counselor as a kid when my parents got divorced because my mother made me go - which sucked - I didn't have anything to talk about She thought I was all Emo and I wasn't. I didn't like her, I had nothing to say to the shrink and that was about it. So she tried to put me in drug rehab - I'd never touched a drug in my life - meanwhile, my sister is smoking pot, getting drunk and dropping acid IN THE HOUSE and my mother is oblvious to it lol. Anyway - enough about my goofy childhood. I'm looking forward to the psych eval. My advocate is a hoot - she's just hilarious. She was giving me some questions that get asked - about my history - the fact that I'm divorced (I'm remarried now). Family life, blah blah blah. Anyway - She said they'll ask me about the fact that a doctor put me on anti depressants and the fact that I did take them - I took them under protest, went to see a new doctor (my current one) was diagnosed with a genetic liver disorder (doesn't affect the surgery - already checked! :confused: ) and taken off the anti-depressants because I didn't need them. All they did was make me an insomniac zombie and that was at a very low dose! I tell ya, there's people in my family that are on anti depressants that, they have worked absolute wonders for. But I'm not one that needs them. I went to about 15 doctors that told me that I was depressed and that's why I was having all these symptoms. I swear they get a kickback from the pharmaceutical companies! Then again, some doctors I believe, are past their prime and need to retire as well. Blah anyway. I have a whole laundry list of complaints about doctors and an even longer list of some amazing doctors I've known throughout my life. Here's hoping my newest one is going on the amazing list!

So my psych eval is scheduled for next Friday. I'm actually kinda stoked to go to one of these. I've never had anything like that done. I mean, I went to a counselor as a kid when my parents got divorced because my mother made me go - which sucked - I didn't have anything to talk about She thought I was all Emo and I wasn't. I didn't like her, I had nothing to say to the shrink and that was about it. So she tried to put me in drug rehab - I'd never touched a drug in my life - meanwhile, my sister is smoking pot, getting drunk and dropping acid IN THE HOUSE and my mother is oblvious to it lol. Anyway - enough about my goofy childhood. I'm looking forward to the psych eval. My advocate is a hoot - she's just hilarious. She was giving me some questions that get asked - about my history - the fact that I'm divorced (I'm remarried now). Family life, blah blah blah. Anyway - She said they'll ask me about the fact that a doctor put me on anti depressants and the fact that I did take them - I took them under protest, went to see a new doctor (my current one) was diagnosed with a genetic liver disorder (doesn't affect the surgery - already checked! :confused: ) and taken off the anti-depressants because I didn't need them. All they did was make me an insomniac zombie and that was at a very low dose! I tell ya, there's people in my family that are on anti depressants that, they have worked absolute wonders for. But I'm not one that needs them. I went to about 15 doctors that told me that I was depressed and that's why I was having all these symptoms. I swear they get a kickback from the pharmaceutical companies! Then again, some doctors I believe, are past their prime and need to retire as well. Blah anyway. I have a whole laundry list of complaints about doctors and an even longer list of some amazing doctors I've known throughout my life. Here's hoping my newest one is going on the amazing list!

My advocate finally got ahold of me. It was somewhat her fault, but not really. They had a temp in the office as a receptionist. My advocate was out with the flu for a week and a half. She just kept putting the messages on her desk instead of giving them to someone else to take care of. Yeah - so that's where the neglect feeling came in. Anyway - we've resolved that and I'm cautiously going forward - I'm still not sure I'm going to have the surgery. We'll just have to wait and see. I'm not going to get my hopes up about having it and then get shot down because I can't find proof of weight for something 3 or 4 years ago. I don't know that my current doc is going to be too supportive of this, but if he's not, that's just kinda tough in my opinion. I absolutely adore my doctor and his whole staff. But they're from another country where surgery like this would be an absolute LAST resort of any kind. They have nothing but the best love and hopes for me - I mean, I've never, EVER walked into a doctor's office and been treated so well before. Its like going to your best friend's for a visit! Somehow, no matter how many patients are in the office, they always have plenty of time for everyone. I get "scolded" because I don't ask for things - I mean if I'm a bit chilly, I'll put a sweater on or wait it out. I don't need a heated blanket brought to me haha Or if I have a cramp in my foot (happens a lot with me) they'll rub it out for me! I never ask them to, I can usually work it out on my own lol. But they're right there for anything you need - gentle as can be. They believe it should be this way - they say that most people that go to the doctor's office are already sick and feeling bad - they shouldn't leave feeling worse! If all doctor's offices were like that, no one would mind going to the doctor.