My Journey Is Starting

[Pepper Paul 143]

I looked into WLS a few years ago, but my insurance didn't cover it, so that was that. A couple weeks ago, my wife told me that someone at her work is having WLS and that her insurance covers it. I've always had her insurance as my secondary insurance, but it never occured to me that they would cover it even if mine didn't. I called the clinic that her co-worker had hers done at, and inquired about my insurance situation. Sure enough, if my primary insurance doesn't cover, the secondary will. That clinic is out of network, but told me that they will bill as out of network, but then for my co-pay they will only charge me as much as if I was in-network. I made an appointment.

I completed my paperwork and faxed it in a few days ago. I was scheduled to have a phone appointment tomorrow, and then a meeting with the surgeon a week from tomorrow. The clinic called me today and said they had a cancellation tomorrow and wanted to know if I wanted to move my meeting with the surgeon to then. I'm super excited to meet with the surgeon tomorrow and get my process started. I'm hoping that my secondary insurance doesn't have a 6 month process the way a lot of them do.

As for my story, I've been overweight a good portion of my life. When I was 17, I was helping my dad move an 1800 pound safe off a truck and it fell off the truck and onto my foot. It resulted in a 10 day hospital stay and amputation of my foot. Even with that, I've always been active but a few years later was north of 300 pounds. A few years ago I was diagnosed with diabetes and also borderline high blood pressure. I've been trying, without success, to get some weght off to keep my diabetes in check.

A year and a half ago, I woke one morning with incredible pain in my back. I went to my PCP, who told me essentially to quit being a baby and go home and walk it off, and if I wasn't feeling better in a few days to a week, then come back and see him. Later that afternoon, I went to my chiropractor, who advised me that with my symptoms I should go to the ER. I did and was diagnosed with cauda equina, which is essentially when a disc ruptures and presses into the nerves in your back. I was immediately transported to Swedish in Seattle (about an hour and a half away) and that night had surgery on my back. My neurosurgen told me that if I hadn't had surgery within 72 hours, she is pretty confident I would have been paralyzed. I ended up with some significant nerve damage in my legs, but I was lucky because I seeked out prompt medical attention so I can still walk and have use of my lower extremities. I do still have a lot of nerve pain in my legs, and right now my neurosurgen is trying to address that. Every day that I have to be able to walk and play with my kids is a blessing however. Now I'm hoping to get rid of this weight so I can be even more active and involved in their lives.

Wish me luck at my meeting with my neurosurgen tomorrow! I do have my reservations however, because I'm going to Puget Sound Surgical Center, which, for those of you who have been following, is where iggychick got her sleeve done. However, her doctor was Dr. Billing and I'm meeting with Dr. Crouthamel. It will be interesting knowing iggychick's story, how forthcoming he is when I ask about complications, not only his, but of the clinic as a whole. It will show me how trustworthy Dr. Crouthamel is.

[Territravel 217]

Good luck with your first consult! Things will move quickly from here.

[iggychic 1,405]

I of course wish you the best Paul. Dr. C was the first to deny me a leak test while I was in hospital because it was expensive. That was day two of my journey. I'm fairly certain that they don't nearly kill all of their patients though because most of his staff is posting today so hopefull you'll be fine

[Scaredy Cat 92]

Love your sarcasm Iggychick. Also I think it's horrible that his employees are posting. I honestly hope you sue their company right the hell out of business!!!!

[Pepper Paul 143]

Just for the record Scaredy Cat, I'm not an employee, and also found it in very poor taste that PSSC employees were posting on here, posing as us "regular folk."

I did meet with them yesterday. Apparently due to moving my appointment up a week I met with Dr. Billing instead of Dr. C. During our meeting, he emphasized several times the risks of surgery and possible complications, as well as how seriously they take complications which sounds like a change from when Iggy met with him. Are they taking complications much more seriously since Iggy's complications? Maybe. Hopefully. But I can't help but wonder if it was in response to my earlier post in this thread stating that it was going to be interesting to see how they address complications with me. After all, it's now clear PSSC employees monitor this forum. I was feeling very positive about my meeting yesterday until I got home and saw the employee posts on here. Then I felt snowballed.

I'm searching around today for other surgeons to interview. I can't say I've ruled out PSSC 100% because there are a lot of people on this forum who have had a great experience with them, but I'm sure keeping my options open.

[takroom 192]

Good luck Pepper Paul...please remember, every individual is different. We all recover differently, lose differently. There are patients with good outcomes & some with bad. I'm sure Iggychik was one of the unfortunate & I hope she will get better soon. However, with that said...I'm sure the medical center has done 100's, if not 1000's of bariatric surgeries. I was told by my team of Dr's that there is a 92% success rate & 8% non...I knew what I was getting into & decided it would be worth it for me, even if I fell into the 8% bracket. For me, it was worth risking it all. I will keep you in my thoughts & prayers.

[Scaredy Cat 92]

Pepper Paul - no, it didn't have anything to do with you or your posts. I'm so so sorry if you felt that way. I feel really intruded upon and almost stalked by iggychicks former doctors office. So annoyed I wish I could "unfriend" them so I didn't have to read their baloney posts. Wayyyyyyy too convenient that they're all joining now - and all of a sudden - but they didn't know it even though they work in the same office. Wow, they must think we're really stupid. Sorry for the rant. I hope your approval is going well. I hope you find a really good and ethical doctor to assist you. Good luck!