Cleveland R U there????

[terrisch 0]

oh, forgot to mention...no shoulder pain for 2 days now! Finally! Any I don't have any pain at the port site, even when I twist, turn, pull myself out of bed. I feel some pressure when I am really active (like vacuuming), but it is amazing how quickly the recovery is for this surgery. No nausea or vomiting (knock on wood).

Am SO tired of liquids! well, except for my coffee w/whey Protein powder in the morning (that is my breakfast). I love coffee...I don't think I would have survived if I weren't able to have coffee.

Am dealing w/constipation now. Have been drinking plenty of liquids and exercising, but it is really hard to get Fiber in! I have been mushing cooked carrots very fine and drinking v-8 juice. I need to find more things w/fiber that I am able to "eat".

Gotta run...need to pick out Soup to bring for lunch tomorrow...

[Forestcat5 1]

I've met my yearly deductible also, so it sure would be great if I could get this surgery in before the end of the year......which just might happen if SOMEONE WOULD CALL ME BACK AND LET ME KNOW IF MY PAPERWORK HAS BEEN SENT IN. I called and left another message w/LaTonya, but she didn't call back. My Dr isn't in on Mon, so I didn't call her. SOOOOO frustrating!

I'm trying to think if I've read anything here about Constipation. I'm sure Fiber is best, but I wonder if we can take a laxative? Seems it would be too harsh.

I'm so glad you are doing so well otherwise. I hope I'm as lucky!

I'll call LaTonya again tomorrow, and call my Dr's office, and hopefully get an answer.

[terrisch 0]

Ohhhh I am so sorry they haven't called you back yet!!

Maybe they are working on things. Your call probably sparked action.

I tried taking a laxative and it helped somewhat, but my stomach rumbled and cramped. I had pureed veggie Soup for lunch today (didn't strain the lumps...I need that fiber!) so hopefully that will help. Drinking lots of Water, and had frozen fruit bar tonight.

THe whey Protein canisters are on sale at Target this week (10% off). I got a big canister for only $10. Might want to get some while it is on sale! Unforunately they don't have unflavored, but if you like choc or vanilla, they have that available (mix it w/milk, coffee, tea, etc). Definitely helps get Protein in.

Had left shoulder pain again today :cry

I guess I shouldn't complain. I've been doing so well otherwise. But that pain HURTS.

Hope you hear something tomorrow!

[Forestcat5 1]

I hope you are doing better today. Did you call Connie and ask what she might recommend? And as far as the pain goes - jeeze! What do you have to do - stand on your head for it to work its way out?

Well, I talked to both LaTonya and my Dr today......and it doesn't sound good. Seems I didn't do, or explain, or handle, the 6 month weightloss right. I thought just telling my Dr that I had to do the weightloss for 6 months, and that I was doing Atkins and walking at work for exercise, and going in and getting weighed when I had an appt, or by the nurse was enough. But it wasn't. So it looks like I have to do it again. I am so upset I can hardly think. LaTonya said something about an appeal letter, but I'm not too hopeful. I just want to crawl in a hole.

I'll let you know if I hear anything else.

Keep up the good work!

[terrisch 0]

ohhh I'm so sorry they are giving you a hard time! So are they claiming that you weren't involved in supervised wt loss? Sounds like it was supervised!

I hope you call the insurance co.; hopefully you will get hold of someone w/an empathetic ear.

I just don't understand insurance companies. This surgery is the safest and most effective way to lose wt and keep it off. So many studies to show this. I just think that there must be people who don't at all understand obesity who are making the decisions at these companies.

Call them and write your letters!! Persistence usually pays off.

Constipation issue is much better, but had shoulder pain again yesterday. The post-surgery booklet recommends trying meds like gas-x, but as soon as I buy some, the pain will be gone. If I have pain today, will just go ahead and get some. It's been almost 2 wks, so it should be gone by now!!

Good luck with your calls and letters!! I wonder if others on this forum can give advice when they've run in to similar circumstances.

[Forestcat5 1]

terrisch -

How are you doing? Still having shoulder pain or Constipation? I'm hoping you're feeling better every day!

I have been in a funk the past few days.....and eating everything in sight. But today I decided to make an appt with my Dr to start the next 6 month weightloss. My appt is this coming Tues. I also want to talk to her about an appeal letter. Eventhough I've read on this site that cigna never budges on the 6 month deal, I at least might try. I'll see what the Dr thinks.

So I'm trying to shake off these blues and get back on track.

Forestcat

[Forestcat5 1]

Hey terrisch - where are you? I hope everything is ok.

I had my PCP appt today and she said she has called LaTonya twice, but hasn't heard back from her. So she was going to try and call her again today. She wants to discuss an appeal letter. But just to be safe, we started another official 6 month weightloss. Of course THIS appt doesn't count - it starts next month when I go back for another appt. So 6 months means April....

Has the pain in your shoulder gone away? Any trouble eating?

I hope I hear from you soon - !!!!

Forestcat

[terrisch 0]

Hi Forestcat

Sorry for taking so long to reply. Life has been busy.

I am so hopeful for you re: the appeal to your insurance. It is difficult to believe they are going to require yet another 6 month trial on the diet! What is wrong with those people?? I would imagine you are very frustrated at this point.

What kind of diet are you following?

Your primary care doc sounds so supportive. Thank goodness for that!

I'm doing fine. I haven't had shoulder pain for 1.5 days, so I am hopeful that it is finally over with. Eating fine..got past the 2 wks of liquids without any nausea or vomiting. I think I have very little swelling around the band. I started taking urso a few days ago and again forgot to crush the dang pill, but had no problem at all. I am still drinking coffee for Breakfast and having Soup for lunch, and a soft dinner. I swear I think my wt has plateaued even though I am eating so much less than before! So now I can't have fluids w/meals. It hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. I take a few sips on occasion if something is spicy, but otherwise I have been very good about not drinking w/meals.

My first follow up appt is in 1 week!!

[Forestcat5 1]

Terrisch - I'm so glad to hear you are still doing great! We all know how it feels to have our weight plateau when we are working hard to lose it. But they say not to worry about it in the beginning because you need to heal..... Hard to do when you had to wait so long to even get the surgery - now you have to wait longer. Do you know if Dr Ben-Meir will give you the fill, or does a nurse do it?

Well, I'm trying to not get too excited, but my husband had an appt with our Dr today (same Dr as me), and she told him that she had just gotten off the phone with my ins company, and they told her to fax over her additional information. I'm hoping this means they are going to submit me for approval again, but it also could mean that whoever she talked to is going to look at the new info to see if it might make a difference. So I'm planning on waiting until next week sometime to call my ins co and see where everything stands.

Yes, my Dr is very supportive, and she's a truley nice person on top of it all. She's very easy to talk to also. She only has office hours 2 days a week, and I live in fear that she will retire in the next few years.

Can't wait to heare how your fill goes!!

Forestcat

[terrisch 0]

Hi Forestcat

I am really hopeful for you....persistence often pays off!

I won't get my first fill until mid-late October. The visit next week is just a post-op check up. From what Connie has told me, Ben-Meir does the fills.

Thanks very much for your encouragement re: the wt plateau.

Hope you will be hearing good news soon!

[sbee 0]

Hey ForestCat, I was surfing around the site and found someone looking for you. How are things anyway? Where are you at in the process now?

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/looking-forestcat5-42153/

[Forestcat5 1]

Here I am!

I just opened the mail a few minutes ago, and got a letter from my ins saying I was APPROVED!!! My wonderful PCP really followed through! She called them, faxed them more information, and really went to bat for me.

I want to be at St Vincents first thing tomorrow morning, my face pressed against the glass door waiting for them to open, run into the office and yell - "I'M HERE! LET'S GO!" No- better not...they might send me for another psych eval. But I WILL be on the phone with LaTonya first thing. I know I have to have pre-op testing, and the liquid diet, etc - but I'm[/color]"Red"]APPROVED![/color]

By the way - who was looking for me?

[terrisch 0]

YAHOOOOOO FORESTCAT!!!!!!

I am so happy for you!

I hope they can get you scheduled very soon.

Had my first post-op visit today; I've lost 19 pounds since starting this whole process (about half was lost pre-op, the other half post-op)!

Am looking forward to my first fill in 2.5 weeks...have been getting really hungry. BUt still don't eat as much as I used to. Am on solids officially! Yeah!

Let me know when you get scheduled!

Terrisch

[Forestcat5 1]

Thanks Terrisch!!!

I called LaTonya this morning, and she said "Fax the letter over and we'll get the ball rolling!" She said she'd be calling me. What is the next step? Do I see Dr Ben-Meir again, or have the pre-op testing and get the stuff for the pre-op diet? Or all three at once?

19 lbs?!?!?! That is GREAT! I bet your clothes are feeling looser. And that is with no fill!! Any problems eating the solids? What tastes the best to you? Just wondering because sometimes people have said that things taste different after the surgery. Do you have to pay extra for your fills? I don't know if I do or not - but it doesn't really matter, does it? We're getting 'em!!

Keep up the great work, and I'll let you know as soon as I get a date. (how long did it take for you once you were approved, to get a date? Wonder how booked up the Dr is?)

Forestcat

[sbee 0]

CONGRATULATIONS Forestcat, I am so happy for you? Did you get a date yet? Keep us posted. By the way I just got banded...woo-hooo your next