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Showing results for 'Fed BC/BS'.
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Fever, pain & vomiting . IM OVER it
niaaBoogie replied to niaaBoogie's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
Update 💓 i have now “graduated “ to shakes again although they’ve been causing me great pain and trouble keeping them down. I am also still being fed nutrients via IV for the next two or so days . The positive of all of this is that my pancreas levels are improving. I will update soon. Thank you all ❤️ -
Highmark BC/BS .... kinda scary if it happens...
slm2007 posted a topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Anyone from Western PA that has Highmark BC/BS insurance....don't know if you are aware of the heated debate between UPMC and Highmark but apparently, the contract is about to expire (JUne 2012...). This means to us, any UPMC doctor, surgeon, hospital will become OUT OF NETWORK! I think this probably covers every doctor my family uses. If this happens, I personally will have a $4,000 deductible for out-of-network expenses! I will have to find a new "fill" doctor, a new pediatrician for my son, a new family doctor and new ob/gyn. Any specialist will be extremely limited and we won't be able to go to any UPMC hospital unless we are willing and able to pay the deductible pursuant to our plan. Maybe this is something everyone who has this insurance should be inquiring about. I really can't imagine this being allowed to happen...Highmark will have to come up with something and UPMC really can't be that unfair to the thousands and thousands who are covered by Highmark....this is really scary if it does happen. -
Hii. I was a t a stand still, fluxuating between 5 lbs for almost a year. Very devastating. My dr kept telling me to up my exercise..and I didn't listen.. Then last month I had enuff and listened for once and worked out religously and dropped 11 lbs in a month..and actually ate a lil more on top of working out..I was eating about 900 cals a day but then moved up to 1100 and weight dropped off. Dr told me I needed to stick to that calorie count bc that one was makin me lose the weight opposed to the lesser one. Good luck
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Can anyone help me with this pre op diet? I am exercising and drinking a protein shake once a day, however I am scared to eat or drink anything bc I have less than a month to lose 15-20 pounds. Can someone suggest things to eat that will help lose the 15-20? I would greatly appreciate the help. Thanks in advance!
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How Long Did You Go From The 'idea' To Booking Your Gastric Sleeve Surgery ?
waterlover posted a topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I was just wondering how long it generally took people to decide to do the surgery from the time they started reading up about it and doing their research. It's only been a few weeks for me, I'm just pouring over message boards and blogs and trying to educate myself and choose a doctor. I'm in a funk right now because I'm thinking about how permanent this is. I'm afraid of complications (leaks, clots, infections & stents and being tube fed etc). I don't know if this is a phase. When I first heard of it I met some people who had gone through the surgery and they were so excited and I was excited and 100% sure I was going to do this. I'm not sure if the bad things I read are proportionate to the successes. Is this normal to feel confusion? -
So am I stuck or what?!
BklynPenny replied to bsellis's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
My stuck feeling usually ends with spitting up whatevers stuck. Its starts off slimmy then the food comes out with a little gagging. I think they call it productive burb ("PB"). It feels likes a heavy pressure in your chest & even Water hurts going down. I get stuck with eggs & bread, eaten seperate occasions. Hope this helps. Fyi, I stopped eating lettuce bc it hurts my tummy. Sent from my SAMSUNG GALAXY S3 using LapBandTalk -
Today, in tears over non-coverage of VSG...
Pink Stella replied to lapfish's topic in Insurance & Financing
I have BCBS NC and that code is covered. I know each insurance is different, but I was given a CPT code of 43659, which is also a covered procedure. I looked both of them up (https://catalog.ama-assn.org/Catalog/cpt/) - and the description for 43843 is "Gastric restrictive procedure, without gastric bypass, for morbid obesity; other than vertical-banded gastroplasty " and the description for 43659 is "Unlisted laparoscopy procedure, stomach." You might contact your HR department, too. Find out if the fed is self-insured. I work for a municipal government and we are self-insured. That means that the city itself determines what coverage is offered and BCBS administers the insurance. If you're willing to discuss it with your HR rep, they might be able to help you out. I'm not sure if any of this will help you at all. Good luck! -
I have no idea what my husband makes, other than "more than me". He used to be ion charge of all the money, until I got fed up with having to beg for every dime. So I went and opened my own account and deposited my paychecks into it. That almost took us into divorce court. He's very old-fashioned. (He's since gotten over it). Not old-fashioned enough to let me stay home and raise my baby, unfortunately. :phanvan Whatever happened to husbands that believed they should support the family while the wife raises the children? Sigh.
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PLATEAU!!! How many of hit a plateau at approximately 1 year out?
jr64044 replied to ShelleyB's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
I am going back to the Dr today. I do eat very slow, since I am a year our I know better than to get pushy with my food esp after a fill. Its not even that half way through my meal I get stuck so its not that I'm eating too fast or too much, it will literally be the first bite. I am finding that I look for things like chips, pretzles, Cereal, salad (slider foods) because I know they aren't going to get stuck. That is where I came to my conclusion to go back in and have the .25 taken out. I don't get my period...ever. I have the Implanon and haven't had a period since 2008. I also don't drink any liquid calories unless I'm going out and then it'll be vodka and Water, otherwise I only drink water, diet tea, crystal light etc. But beleive me I haven't been drinking for weeks-my stomach is pissed enough. What I don't really get is that I was up to 6cc's before, and being two weeks out with 5.25 I can't handle it. I dunno this band can freak me out some days if I think too hard about it. All I know is I can't sit on the bathroom floor crying bc I'm freaked out I will have to do this the rest of my life. There has to be a happy medium.. -
I had my BS on June 5.. I have lost 60 pounds.. But i have also lost most of my hair, i was aware that hair loss may come, but i did not know it was this bad ;(( Does any one else had gone thru it?? Any help? And i take a lot of protein!!
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Blood Pressure rising awaiting approvals
Living again 11/17/2011 posted a topic in Insurance & Financing
My blood pressure witch I was just dx is going up stressed out waiting for DR's office to send the darn papers for approval to Empire Bc Bs! -
I'll say what my mother tells me all the time. Always file an appeal.. even if it's 10 times. She actually works for BC/BS and said that 80 - 90 % of the time they will approve on an appeal.
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PLATEAU!!! How many of hit a plateau at approximately 1 year out?
jr64044 replied to ShelleyB's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
Ok now I am officially confused. I went over a week ago and got a fill. I only had him do .25 cc's because I was afraid to be too tight. I did fine for about 4 days and actually lost 4 lbs. but now everything gets stuck. I can get down oatmeal..or wheat thins if I chew them to mush. Otherwsie its coming right back up. Last night I took one bite of a turkey brat, with no bun and the bite was TINY. It instantly got stuck and I was dry heaving for an hour. And it wasn't just "BP-ing" I literally threw the food up, stomach acid and all (sorry tmi) So I haven't eaten much in the last 2-3 days and I weighted myself this morning and NADA! It still hasn't budged. How is that possible? I know if you don't eat enough calories you will not lose but I thought that was over time. I just don't get it. I'm miserable and I'm still not losing. I don't know if its stress related or whatever reasons behind it all of a sudden getting tight but I don't feel stressed out-and I'm not a person whos terribly prone to stress. So I don't really know what to do but I am back at this awful place that I was at about 4 mos ago. My band is so unpredictable and touchy I am terrified of eating with other people or to go out to eat bc I literally have no idea what its going to do. That is not a normal way to live and I can't keep throwing up. I'm so confused :smile2: -
OK so I just had a brachioplasty done not quite 2 weeks ago and let me tell you I am ECSTATIC with the results. Anyhow so my next PS that I want to have is an inner thigh lift. My plastic surgeon suggested doing this is a 2 step process.....he said so lipo and give it time to heal then do the actual lift. Can they not do this together? So here's a few questions I have for ppl that have had it done......I know I could google the info but I like to discuss this kind of stuff with ppl that have actually had it done 1. How happy were you with the results? My thighs for the most part are bumpy from cellulite and sag at the inner thigh. 2. How long were you down for? I work 3 jobs (1 FT and 2 PT bc Im easily bored) so I need to be back on my feet asap. I was down for the brachioplasty for about a week but it worked out to where we were closed for 2 weeks anyway :-) 3. How visible is this scar compared to others. My surgeon talked like he would have to go all the way down to the knee.
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I am not suggesting that the US government should bring the whole 29,000,000 Iraqi population here to the USA, but just the people who risked their lives to give the unwinnable Iraqi war a little more of a chance at success. The BuSh administration and its defenders, who claim we need to stay in Iraq or else we will be giving the Muslim/Arab world a signal that the USA does not stick by its friends and commitments is now proving to the Muslim/Arab world that the USA does not stick by its friends and commitments as it deserts the Iraqis who have done the most and risked their lives the most to help the USA succeed in this foolish mission. After all the excuses about WMD, 911, etc had been proved false, BuSh fell back on, "We did it (the invasion of Iraq) for the Iraqi people". Well, the US government has shown their true feelings for the Iraqi people (with this issue as proof). BuSh and the US government claimed that they loved the Iraqi people so much that they are willing to send thousands of US servicemen to their death, but are now saying that we care so little about the Iraqi people that we will abandon the ones who did the most for us (and their families) to die. Mixed message? Or is it that the first part about sending and sacrificing US troops for the Iraqi people is just plain BS? We sent them there because BuSh is a bully who thought he could settle some old grievances and show-up his father by taking out Saddam Hussein who was serving an important purpose, the purpose he has served for the USA for over 20 years; keeping his country, Iran and the Middle-East stable. We are now on the verge of WWlll thanks to the lack of understanding of the Sunni-Shiite divide by the Neo-Cons. Events in Serbia and Bosnia were the trip point for WW1. After the area was stabilized for decades under brutal rule, the rulers of Yugoslavia let go of their brutal grip with the demise of the Soviet Union and the 3 main ethnic groups of Yugoslavia went back to fighting WW1 all over again and there was blood in the streets as ethnic cleansing became the order of the day. If BuSh and the Neo-Cons had known the history of Shiite-Sunni relations and if they had the intelligence to draw a parallel to the events in Yugoslavia or if they could read books, they would have foreseen the events now transpiring in Iraq and the Middle-East. No, it is not that I am idealistic, it is that the US Government has neither honor nor brains, at least not with the present leadership.
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B52 So glad to read this..... I too had soooo much additional weight that I couldn't even consider jogging. I started off on the bike seven months ago (bc I didn't have to carry my own weight). Eventually moved on to elliptical ...now I'm up to 60 minutes , 6.2-6.3 miles, 6 days/week . But I really want to start jogging...... You can't elliptical a 5K or a 10K...... And I want to experience these things. I think I'm going to have to try starting at our neighborhood walking/running/biking path because I LOOK LIKE A DUCK trying this on the treadmill. Anyway, that's my new fitness goal..... TO RUN!!!!
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Hello From The New Guy
SueBee01 replied to grownazzkid's topic in Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story
I am fed BCBS also. If you have "standard" it is 15%. depending on what your doctor ordered for prep tests and the cost of surgery will make a difference. I paid about $2500 when all said and done. The hospital and surgeon let me make payments. I have only had one fill and it was covered by my surgeon with the first 90 days. The time will fly by! Are you going thru the mandatory classes? If so, you will learn a lot. Hang in there! -
There is also the issue of the stored estrogen in fat that as it's losing. .well..it's also hormonal. Forgot to mention that earlier. May want to Google it. .I did awhile ago I can't remember everything it said but I'm goin to refresh my memory. My therapist also told me it's not unusual after surgery some depression days..bc hormone fluctuates. .it'll even out just got to get thru it.
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I have gotten Medicare to reconsider accepting the Sleeve Gastrectomy. you need to view the psoting. They are soliciting public comments. http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/details/nca-details.aspx?NCAld+=258&ver=2&NcaName=Bariatric+Surgery+for+the+treatment+of+Morbid+Obesity+(2nd+Recon)&bc=ACAAAAAAAAAA Please visit this site and post any information in favor. Thanks. Marcia name='likasulema' timestamp='1318798760' post='219248'] i have medicare as my primary coverage, but empire blue cross as my secondary. MEDICARE does NOT cover the sleeve yet because its relatively new (few years or something. ) Medicare DOES cover the lapband and gastric bypass. (but i want the sleeve) My surgery for the sleeve is 12/7 - medicare will send the "official" denial for the sleeve after hospital sends bill, empire needs to see the "official" denial first, and then empire looks at my qualifications in having the sleeve. I have all the qual.. (BMI, diabetes, high chlolesteral, and high blood pressure, and sleep apnea (aren't I lucky???!!!) The insurance companies know that Medicare doesn't cover the sleeve, but they need the official denial after the surgery. Then the other insurance company can proceed. I know this sounds weird, its the beurocracy (msp) but thats how it was explained to me. Empire does cover the sleeve - so they told me after all the paperwork is sent in I will be 99% positive I will be approved. They can't officially guarantee it for obvious reasons. But they did tell me unofficially of course that everything looks fine. so the bottom line is MEDICARE doesn't cover the sleeve, no if ands or butts, but your secondary might cover it, like my empire blue cross. hope i've helped - without confusing you too much - write back w/any more questions )
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My surgeon waives the program fee depending in what insurance you have. I think its bs that you have to pay if you have the insurance that doesnt pay as well as others. I'd try and fight it. Program fees dont make sense for sleevers who typically dont need many follow up visits/hand holding/office resources/ beyond the initial 90 days included in your original surgical fees.
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why did i bother to tell my friends UGH
MaggieH2 replied to sassy683's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I am 5 weeks post op and doing well... 32 lbs down. I was what I guess is considered a lightweight, 232 being my highest. With that being said, I suffered from sleep apnea, used cpap, have osteoarthritis in both knees , GERD with Barrets Esophagus and my A1C was creeping up each time it was checked. I am 45 years old and a nurse, a nurse who has a weight requirement for her job and I couldn't make the weight anymore..... I have crash dieted, done everything from programs to HCG to cutting weight like an MMA fighter... 6 yrs ago I lost 60# and have gained back 70...I have always struggled. Nearly everyone who I shared my intention to have a gastric bypass had either some horror story ( I get it.. the only RNY pts I took care of had something that had gone terribly wrong) or people would tell me that I didn't need it, I didn't look "that big" you carry your weight so well! I was open with folks bc I am off work for over a month and will look a little more slender when I return.... Since my surgery, I have heard no negative comments, and preop someone even shared with me that they were jealous... they wanted a more sure bet in the weight loss arena... My point is, I feel better, physically and emotionally and I no longer snore ( husband is very grateful for that.) This has not been the easiest, I have felt nauseous sometimes, sad sometimes and even a little remorse....but, I think back to how I felt everyday when I woke up and looked in the mirror, how my knees hurt, how I worried about my long term health, not to mention my job! I hated me. Now, I don't. I am hopeful, I am happier, I am more confident. Let the naysayers talk, smile and nod, make your decision because you know it is right for you and when it is all said an done, you'll find peace. -sorry if I ramble a bit! -
Losing lbs fast but worried it's all muscle
smooshycheeks posted a topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
Hi peeps, I had sx on 8/9. Was back for readmission last week bc of dehydration. At first my weight loss was slow. Now it seems to be about a pound a day (or more). But I feel it's all muscle that I'm losing, not fat, and I'm worried. I'm definitely NOT getting in all my fluids or protein- maybe 40ish grams of protein and 32 oz liquids. I'm also exhausted and dizzy. I can't eat/drink anything with artificial sweeteners/flavors since they make me sick. I'm also a vegetarian. Last week while inpatient my labs showed I was in ketosis. Now I'm on phase 2, so full liquids and purees. Still getting in a protein shake each day, plus eggs, and some carbs like potatoes and sweet potatoes. I'm hoping that any muscle mass I'm losing will be able to regain once I can exercise. Is this how it's supposed to go? -
I get my fills at SCOR. But i have only had 1 fill...the 2nd time didn't work. And yes, they poke around blindly. ouch. I don't know any better bc the 1st fill was great, she found the port right away and that was it. The 2nd time the lady didn't know what she was doing and I ended up crying bc they freaked me out. The last time I was thinking to myself, would I have had this surgery if it was going to be like this??
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What is your sugar # in the morning, Pre & post Lapband
kamicola replied to CaliGirl626's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
Another addition to the story.... so... I haven't had a period in a few months due to not paying attention to what I was eating and blood sugars are up like never before.... I was going through that last suppering thingy.... everytime my blood sugars get out of control, this happens... SO.... I started the liver shrinking diet a few days ago as I am having surgery in a few weeks... on the 27th.... and just after 3 days of blood sugars dropping dramatically on the lsd... I finally started my period.... so I believe that having co-morbities in check and getting stress under control has SO MUCH to do with fertility in many woman, especially those who are obese... although I know this isn't true for every woman.... I have certainly found it to be true for me... hope this helps... PS.... take BC if you want to get some weight off first... pregnancies happen all the time before people are ready.... physically. Kammi in Everett, WA -
Banana. You did not deserve the unprofessional scolding. Could your hormonal issue be treated by a family practitioner? All of us have experience people that value appearance. It's fed to us daily. We are bombarded with the message we are not good enough just to sell us a products. The only validation you need comes from you. The rest of the world can bite it.
