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Hi, This is my first post. My name is Sandra McMahon-Gill (Sandy). I am 58 years young and awaiting approval from Keystone so we can get the ball (sleeve)rolling. It has taken me 3 years to get to this point, in 2008 I starting the necesssary steps when I was accidently unexpectedly diagnosed with ovarian cancer(stage one fortunetly), so I had the requisite hysterectomy but Yippee--no chemo or radiation necessary. Ok so get all past that and in 2011 tried again, when I came down with necrotizing facitis(a type of mersa), s--t, have to wait again. Thankfully I came out of the necro....with all parts intact! Finally Late Spring of 2012-I started the steps (one more time--3 is a charm--right) so here we are waiting for the almighty approval. I am hoping to get "sleeved" in mid september as my doctor (David Wernsing of Philadelphia, PA) is getting booked up. I've joined Vertical Sleeve Talk and and another blog. I've even contact a variety of Bariatric food sites to obtain samples. While talking to my hemotologist today, we discussed the upcoming surgery and he wishes to have me get Iron infusions, he says iron is not absorbed properly after these types of surgerys(any bypass type), since I am slightly anemia. The good part is that the infusion would only be once or twice a year. Been there- done that and it is painless. Has anyone else experienced this situation? Oh one more thing, is there a spell check available here? Later
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Hello, new to ns mayport. Went to see my pcp todat and he was very reluctant to give me a referral to see the bariatric specakist. Insead he gave( well put in for me to start a 8 week health and nutrition class here on base. My question is will this class lead to me being apprived for the bariatrics, has anyone has any experience with ns mayport and their approval process. Are their any doctors who are better with referrals in this matter. I have a bmi of 42.7 and im qualified for tricare. thank you in advance....
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any1 use duodenal switch code 43845 or open code 43843 to get sleeve approved?
NY Lou posted a topic in Insurance & Financing
hi everyone. i think i originally posted this in the wrong forum, so ill post it here now. i know alot of insurance companies dont cover the sleeve. my insurance company doesnt appear to have the new 2010 code 43775 for the sleeve in their system, but they do cover the duodenal switch code 43845, which is basically the sleeve with a bypass. has anyone here gotten the sleeve done by getting approved for the ds and then only having their dr do the first part of the ds, which is only the sleeve? im curious if getting only the sleeve done this way would work to get the insurance company to pay for it or even if the dr would be willing to do only the first part of the ds? also, there is another bariatric open code 43843 that my insurance covers and that code specifically states "gastric restrictive procedure, without gastric bypass, other than vertical banded gastroplasty". has anyone been approved for a sleeve using this open code? any comments/replies would be appreciated. thanks in advance. -
im having surgery in two weeks
Longhorn replied to andielmt's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Interesting that your surgeon should say that because it seems like I've read several times that more and more practices are switching to the bands and they expect it to be the leading bariatric surgery in just a few years! You might want to consider getting a second opinion. Will your surgeon still be there to give you fills if she's moving away from banding? If you go to the fills forum on this board, you can read about the experience of others. I've rarely heard of a painful fill. Good luck! -
Post Bariatric Surgery 15 yrs out. Need to know if safe to take a belly fat reducer product
sherwill67 posted a topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
Have a band of belly fat in midriff area that I cannot seem to get rid of. 15 yrs out from surgery March 1999. When I had my tummy tuck done, the doctor did not do this area and suggested lyposuction in 2002. Does anyone know if any of the advertised belly fat reducing supplements are safe for bariatrics to use and do they work? Thanks -
Follow-up care if you move out of state/country?
DaleCruse replied to EsoKev's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I had WLS in Massachusetts & about a year later moved to California. The hospital I worked with in MA is a bariatric center of excellence. However, once I moved, they weren't helpful at all. They wouldn't suggest any names to contact for followups. Instead, they told me to go online & find support. They said it in a nice way, but almost useless is almost useless. I hope your experience is better. Good luck! -
Follow-up care if you move out of state/country?
Orchids&Dragons replied to EsoKev's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
This was actually discussed last night as well. One of the main reasons for the follow ups, besides to make sure you're doing ok and bloodwork, is that they collect information for a database on bariatric surgery/results in order to decide best practices for the future. They have about 10 years of data now, but want to get to 30-40 years of data to understand the long-term ramifications. Non-bariatric surgeons are probably less likely to participate. -
I didn't read all the replies thoroughly, but if it wasn't mentioned, keep in mind that not all employers purchase a level of insurance that covers bariatric surgery. You'll need to see the policy or contact your provider to see if there are exclusions for WLS. If not, then start looking for a good surgeon and find out what your are required to do to meet your providers requirements. Not all Anthem policies are the same.
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Hello all, I'm 7 months out (almost) and I am having surgery on my urethra on the 13th...am I supposed to call my bariatric surgeon and let him know???? Thanks! rain
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Psych Evaluation
AlwaysCruising replied to celticNgel's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
I realize this was a whole back but... That is more normal, ink blots are part of what a psychoanalyst does for therapy - you likely had an mmpi-2 (300+ items but takes just 45 min) since insurance companies want to see objective data with the report and that is the one recommended by the committee that sets the standards for Bariatric evaluations. 😀 -
Hard time deciding on band or sleeve.
2muchfun replied to Owl1212's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Overall, I think most studies show there's a 5-15% re-surgical rate with the band. That includes port revisions, leaky tubes, erosions, dilations etc. It is a little higher than the other three WLS techniques. Here's a video that makes a lot of sense by a well known bariatrics surgeon. How he helps his patients decide. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VmvWFu79Ik#t=99 -
Sylvia, every bariatric center/doctor has their own system. However, first meeting should primarily be a discussion on wls, What it is, what it's not and what it will do for you. There should be dialog on your health history and the doctor may resume with a physical assessment to get the ball rolling. At which point there may be a followup appt to initiate the process, or perhaps if you are already decided, a review of the steps required before getting approved for the surgery.
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Extremely Grateful for Exceptional Care
4LgrLife_53 replied to 4LgrLife_53's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Will see you down there, and wish you luck and will say a few prayers for you that all goes well with your insurance and the processing. I am so happy I took this step. It's not an easy road but it is definitely worth it. Like you, I have sleep apnea too, and until I got approved for surgery there wasn't a night that went by I wondered if I would die in my sleep, even though I have a CPAP (which I hate with a passion). I know it's to keep you breathing, but it's so artificial and uncomfortable. Don't be afraid to post picture on your profile. All of us on here are struggling with our weight, or have over the past years. I'll be posting before and after pictures after I drop some clothes sizes. Still early on. Even though I've lost 26 pounds, I'm still wearing 2X shirts and Large (Men's size) jogging pants as my tummy is still swollen from the IV fluids and the surgery itself. The staff is so exceptionally excellent at the KC Bariatric Center I can hardly wait to go back for my post-op appt. I have spent years (since 1994) in the VA Medical Center's care prior to this (with my leg/ankle and hand surgery at KU). While KU was great, the KC Bariatric Center beats them by a mile. The VA is a whole different story, and if it was on an A-F grading scale, they'd be getting a D. I had to argue with the pharmacist alone to get my lovenox prescription filled, even though my VA primary care physician rewrote the prescription so it could be filled. The A-hole got into my medical records, which he wasn't supposed to be in. I reported him. Anyway, keep your chin up and I'll keep you in my prayers and cross my fingers just for added support. Terry -
Recently Banded - My Experience So Far
Stay_Tuned replied to EricaLyn's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Here is a list of common used abbreviations on this board #/#/# in signatures: weight pre-surgery/current weight/goal weigh AF: "Aunt Flo" -- menstrual period BC: Birth control (or BCP: birth-control pills) BIA: Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis. BMI: Body Mass Index BMR: Basal Metabolic Rate. This is the minimum number of calories you need to sustain your current weight. This includes resting and sleeping. BP: Blood pressure DS: Duodenal switch (another type of bariatric surgery) EPGSHFLYADV: Excruciatingly Painful Gagging Sliming Heaving Feels Like You're About to Die Vomitation FAT MASS: This is how many pounds of your body is fat. FAT%: The percentage of your body that is fat. FFM: Fat Free Mass. This is how many pounds of your body is not fat. GBP: Gastric bypass surgery GERD: Gastro-esophageal reflux disease GP: General practitioner LPD: Liquid Protein Diet MO: Morbid Obesity (or morbidly obese) NP: Nurse practitioner NSAIDS: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (a class of painkillers--which includes ibuprofen--bandsters should try to avoid because they can add to ulcer risk). NSV: Non-scale victory -- a weight-loss achievement that has little to do with numbers OTC: Over the counter (i.e., non-prescription medications) PA: Physician's assistant PB: Productive Burp -- what happens when something eaten can't go down due to restriction has to come back up PCP: Primary care physician RNY: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (the most popular type of bariatric surgery) TBW: Total Body Water. This may be expressed in pounds or as a percentage. The average % for a healthy adult male is 50-65% and for female 45-60%. WLS: Weight-loss surgery -
Hi everyone - new member here. I have been researching lapband surgery for a couple of weeks now. Been considering some kind of bariatric surgery for a couple of years now, but after watching the people at work who have had gastric bypass and all the problems they have had I was scared to do it. After reading about the lapband, I feel comfortable with this method. I am going to the free info seminar next Thu in Houston. I talked to our HR lady who had gastric bypass 4 years ago and she said our insurance (Anthem BC/BS PPO) was good about approving people as long as they meet the requirements (which I do). I will be 49 in January, I am 5' 2" and I weigh 100 pounds more than I did before I had kids (my oldest turns 23 on Christmas Eve). I have been yo-yo dieting for the last 20 years and I am sick of it and tired of being hungry all the time and a slave to my hunger. I am so impressed with all the support and information on this forum!
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Bariatric Advantage has an unflavored protein shake. It is not cheap at $60 for a large container.
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My bariatric team was wonderful, but so busy! It seems like I was the one that always had to keep in contact with them. I saw my surgeon three times before, the first initial consult, the pre op visit then a few minutes before the actual surgery. I received the information about the surgery first at the educational seminar, then more detailed information about diet guidelines ect., at the pre op visit. No, I don't think you are expecting too much too early. June 1st isn't very far away, if you haven't heard from and are becoming anxious...definitely give them a call. Good luck to you and welcome!
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I've got to honestly tell you, Jen, that I too have read all that's been said about eliminating coffee and :confused2: All I know is my Bariatric Center never said a word and believe me, I've never quit drinking coffee (well, maybe the day of surgery!). I'm hooked and I'm the "coffee maker" in our office. I will say that our boss suffered a slight heart attack right after Christmas and so we've all switched to decaf for him--and you're right, I never got a headache with the changeover. Just relating my experience.... from the Coffee Addict.....
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BCBS and Humana says band is auto decline
Alexandra replied to skbishop78's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
I've never heard that specific phrase before, but "auto-decline" would seem to mean that in situations where medical underwriting is done, people who are less than 10 years out from bariatric surgery would be declined for health insurance coverage. SKbishop, what state are you in? The laws vary considerably from state to state, so what's true where you are may not be true elsewhere. "Guaranteed issue" refers to situations where insurance policies MUST be issued, regardless of medical or other circumstances. Some states, like New Jersey, have laws that guarantee access to health insurance for all individuals regardless of health status. Yes, it's true that those policies aren't cheap--$300 or $400 for a single person is about right--but they are guaranteed to be AVAILABLE. Generally, insurance companies will decline as many people as they possibly can given the laws of the state they're operating in. They will charge as much as they can for people who are higher risk or decline to write those policies entirely. The only protection we have as consumers of insurance is to know what the laws are in our states. Snowhard, generally speaking if your employer provides your health insurance, it's a GROUP plan and as such your personal medical situation is probably not relevant. But again, the laws in your state may differ, so do check that out with a licensed broker or your state insurance department. -
HAS ANYONE used DR. KRAHN from WESTERN BARIATRIC.
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I looked at getting the bariatric bear, but ended up using a stuffed bunny that I already had. Definitely helpful to have a pillow/stuffed animal to help you through the early phase when standing up hurts like mad, and to create barrier between the sore tummy and the seatbelt on the way home.
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Hi Stacyann, My surgery was on June 30, 2014 and while I was not outwardly nervous the day I had surgery, my blood pressure said something totally different! I have never had high blood pressure at all, but the day of my surgery when they checked, it was 204! Little beepers went off! I realized I was internally scared, but had only found bariatric pal two days before my surgery. After about 5 minutes of deep breathing and telling myself that so many people I knew had surgery with the Dr. I had also chosen, my blood pressure came down to 130/74 and I got a hold of myself! I had a drain and it did not bother me, but the last day it began to be a little sore. I had stopped taking pain meds and it was not painful - just sore. Because I was checking out that day they took it out. I took a deep breath, clenched my tummy muscles and it was a breeze when they took it out. No pain. The drain hole healed up very quickly, too! 7 days after surgery it was healed and is the size of a pencil eraser. My surgeon used an anesthetic pack for my stomach. It was a pouch that I wore around my neck and two little bitty (and I mean super tiny) tubes delivered anesthetic directly to my stomach during my hospital stay. So I really felt very little, if any pain after surgery. Once I came home, other than needing a nap in the afternoons and trying to make sure I walked, I really have had no pain. When I did have pain I found it was from becoming lactose intolerant - a very common issue after surgery. Lactose free milk is just plain gentler on your stomach and once I switched, it has been great. I am due for my 2 week post op appointment in 5 days and other than drinking shakes for meals, I don't feel like I have had surgery. No pain, no discomfort. I know everyone's different, but I want you to know the my truth. I also had many friends and family praying for me and that feeling surrounded me as I took comfort in knowing I was cared for. Keep asking questions and know that we are all in this together. (No high school musical song pun intended!) Lissa
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Survey - at what point did you get your drivers license/ID photo retaken?
Daisee68 replied to Daisee68's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
@@TinyTink LOL!! I will have to have my passport redone also. My drivers license doesn't renew until 2020 so I can't wait for that. Suppose I will hold out as long as I can (or until someone tells me I am completely unrecognizable ????). I had blood work done this morning and the lab tech kept questioning me. Nicely actually. Kind if funny. I just didn't realize it was THAT different. Clearly it is. I know I am thinner at 95 pounds down. I don't have sort of body dysmorphia (the I think I had that problem in my former self as I never recognized how large I actually was) but I sure wish I could see what others see! -
Anyone else having issue with PatchMD?
Hazel_eyez replied to RJC5197's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
I get mine from the Bariatric center but I know Amazon has it, maybe you can't get it faster there. -
question for everyone who had gastric sleeve
GreenTealael replied to katprincess's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Your mom may be legitimately hungry as some people dont feel satified on the early stages of the diet. Things change however with firm/dense protein intake. Also some people still want to eat solely for the joy or comfort of it, so that may be a factor as well. Reflux (which may mimic hunger pains) should be considered and meds usually given early post op to help. Is she taking anything? Also a drastic change in lifestyle and other medications entering and leaving the system can affect sleep and mood as well. Start or stop anything recently? Also a reasonable amount of time to completely heal and return to normal is important. Some people don't bounce back quickly. Patience is important but be aware of sudden declines as people should get better with time. When you say she drinks a lot of water (but cannot urinate) i think in excess of the recommended 64 oz daily. Is this what you mean as well? Is there a way for you to track exact amounts (good info for doctors to have) ? Perhaps it's time to split up her questions to different doctors besides her bariatric surgeon. They only handle the one thing. Perhaps speak with the Primary to see if there is a need for a visit to the Urologist and also mood/mental health referrals for a Therapist. If I was someone going through this I would ultimately just want to feel completely supported. Try to be patient and tolerant, let her journey be self guided but advocate for her when she needs you to. Good luck💖
