Where are all the Michigan people at??

[jpkmom 0]

Sue,

You get your paperwork yet? This month is flying by so August will be here soon...Anyway will cynthia fax any lab work I have already had done to the clinic in Traverse..I wonder??? Has Stacey lost any more??? Bye...........

[jpkmom 0]

Misty, you are funny..Stay on top of them though cause if it were not for Sue letting me know they had contacted her I wouldnt have called them and found out they misplaced my paperwork...BUG them it pays off. Good luck ...Keep us updated..

[esummersett 0]

I was just banded 07-11-07 in Detroit and live about 40 minutes away from there outside Monroe. Had Dr. Gazareyli from Harper Hospital. Had to pay for the surgery myself, $11,700. Great care, great hospital, would do it again.

[Teachlady 3]

Lorien.. Did MESSA require a 12 month supervised diet????? I was told MESSA did not require that nor does it require a psych eval. I'm a retired school teacher and I was approved with just the letter from my pcp that I had followed a diet for 12 months (I did Curves) with little success. But I'm not MESSA anymore since I am retired. Did you check with MESSA about the 12 month deal????

[Karen2539 0]

Lorien, I too have MESSA, and did not have to have a twelve month supervised diet, although, I did have to have the psych eval. Once I visited with my surgeon, it was exactly 2 weeks for approval. I was banded last Monday at Beaumont, Troy. Good Luck

Karen

[Karen2539 0]

I was just banded 07-11-07 in Detroit and live about 40 minutes away from there outside Monroe. Had Dr. Gazareyli from Harper Hospital. Had to pay for the surgery myself, $11,700. Great care, great hospital, would do it again.

Congratulations! Hope you are feel well these days. I found the worst days were days 3 & 4, but feeling great now!

[oreokitty 0]

Oreokitty, seeing how it has been almost a month out for you now, how is it going? I was banded on Monday, and last night and today have been the worst days for me so far. I thought I was going to breeze through this with no problems... ha! I have a lot of pressure/ pain right where the band it. I am sure it is just the gas build up... but I sure hope this gets better soon.

Karen

Karen

The first couple of days were horriable!!!

I was banded on Tue and I think it was Fri when I felt OK

Walk walk and walk soem more that will help the gas and teh pressure you are feeling

I would get up in teh middle of the night and pace the floor becuase I was in so much pain.

I forget that I even had teh surgery at times I am so ready for a fill

Good luck to you

[susieq125 0]

wendy,

yes received it on saturday. you knoe i was just thinking of that it sure will come up quick.just come over we will give you copy of your labs.

i have not had time to talk to stacy, but she sure looks good now

sue

[esummersett 0]

went to my regular urology apt today, they always do and xray to see how many kidney stones I have. The urologist and the xray tech announced that I had so much gas in my intestines that they couldn't even see my kidneys and were guessing that I still had several kidney stones based on my history, The doctor said he'll see me for a recheck in 6 months and I told him that I would "work on" all the gas so he could read the xray the next time. LOL!!! PS. saw my port, and at the angle of the xray I swear it has a smiley face, even the doctor agreed.

[Lorien 0]

James 2539 & Teachlady,

Thank you for your help.

Even the thought of MESSA messing-up makes me nuts!!! I'm finally getting things rolling with my appointments, so I guess I'm finally on my way.

:crutch: I've been walking with crutches and heavily medicated for the last year due to severe back-pain (three damaged disks), so I've been desperate to get the surgery ASAP.

Not only did the UofM folks tell me I had to wait 12 months, but I called MESSA and asked them myself. They told me it was an elective surgery, there was no way they could wave the requirement. I told them it was a back pain issue, and I could have a Doctor's recommendation on their desk in 2 days, because it was my Doctor who originally suggested the surgery to me!! MESSA still said no. :blah:

Then I contacted UofM about a private-pay option. They said they do not take private-pay patients. (Private-pay would have been a huge financial sacrifice, but I wanted to know my options).

After all this waiting and literally a year of pain and restricted mobility, I will go nuts if I learn that someone just messed up (in both offices)! :confused:

[kirajh 0]

Hi all

I am from Gregory which is a small town on the border of Livingston, Washtenaw, Jackson and Inghan counties. We have Teamsters insurance and they no longer require the year or 6 months of a controled diet. BMI of over 40....letter from surgeon.....letter from primary care doctor.....psych evaluation. I spent a year trying to get my insurance to cover it but I was severely depressed and kept hitting roadblocks. Finally, I flunked the psych evaluation and made the decision to go to Mexico. Two weeks later, I was banded by Dr. Ortiz. I have not had any depression since I made the decision to have the surgery and now I am ten days out and feeling great.

Is there anyone else out there from my area? I do know of a few women who have had the gastric bypass surgery but not the lapband.

Between the pre op diet and the 10 days since banding, I have lost somewhere around 20-25 lbs.

[Karen2539 0]

Congratulations Kirajh! Keep up the good work. I am a little north east of you, in Oakland County. I was banded about 15 days ago. Between the pre op and the banding I am down about 19 pounds. I get to have my first fill in 2 weeks and I am looking forward to it. I am finding that I can eat almost anything these days, but I am trying to be very careful. Sounds like you went through an ordeal with your insurance company. Did it only take you 2 weeks from your first contact with Dr. Ortiz until you were banded? How do you now take care of your fills? Do you just have to make contact with a doctor in your area, and will your insurance cover these at all?

Karen

[Rose* 0]

I grew up outside of Gregory. Or rather the first 9 years now.

I am in Ann Arbor. Going through the Barix hospital in Ypsilanti. I am hoping to have the surgery within a month.

Let's get together sometime!

Rose

[Boo Boo Kitty 3]

Hi all

I am from Gregory which is a small town on the border of Livingston, Washtenaw, Jackson and Inghan counties. We have Teamsters insurance and they no longer require the year or 6 months of a controled diet. BMI of over 40....letter from surgeon.....letter from primary care doctor.....psych evaluation. I spent a year trying to get my insurance to cover it but I was severely depressed and kept hitting roadblocks. Finally, I flunked the psych evaluation and made the decision to go to Mexico. Two weeks later, I was banded by Dr. Ortiz. I have not had any depression since I made the decision to have the surgery and now I am ten days out and feeling great.

Is there anyone else out there from my area? I do know of a few women who have had the gastric bypass surgery but not the lapband.

Between the pre op diet and the 10 days since banding, I have lost somewhere around 20-25 lbs.

Congrats to you! I live in Jackson, so I know where you are! :eek:

[kirajh 0]

I'd love to. Barix is where I was going to have it if my insurance covered it. They're pretty nice there. I have to call and see if I can get my fills there.