Lap Band in Upstate NY...Dr. Kwon

[porclndoll 0]

Hey guys! Congratulations to the newest bandsters! I am glad to hear you are both doing so good! I am on my way (still)...I am having a VERY hard time with my PCP office...getting the letter of med nec. I have called and called...and at the last conversation Monday the 21st the "letter was in the mail"....Here it is the 27th and I haven't received it! I am so fustrated I am gonna go up there and stand on someones neck till its HANDED to me. I am going to call them Monday...first thing....and I am gonna request and office manager and I am gonna tell them make another copy cause Im comin up!!! NOT a good thing to piss me off. I have been a patient there LONGER than most doctors have been working there....Crystal Run Health Care in Middletown. I will get this letter before the end of this week. I have an appointment with the nurse at Dr Kwons office on the 31st and I was hoping to have all the necessary paperwork to submit to my insurance by then. My nerves are shot over this freekin letter! PHEW...thanks for letting me vent that. Any suggestions to get this done quick without having to stand on someones neck???

Talk to you all soon...HAPPY EASTER

[panda6 0]

I am so sorry you guys have had such a hard time with your PCP's. I was sos lucky my nephrologist wrote me a letter no problem. He has known me for 10 years and knows the struggle I have been through. My PCP was willing to write the letter also I use Dr. Ageymang in New windsor. Phone # 561-1270. He is really nice if you all need a new pcp. I was told any Dr. could write the letter so if you have any specialists who would be willing to write the letter go that route. For me it was the faster way. I called my nephrologist and they faxed me a letter the same day. Good luck porclin. See you at the next group o in April. Wendy

[porclndoll 0]

Hi there Panda6.....Thanks for the information, but I think (AND PRAY) that this may be done today! i have to get off this computer and call dr kwons office to make sure things happened. i called my pcp office first thing this morning and told them how pissed i am. suposidely the nurse got a high priority message...yadda yadda yadda...was supose to call me back in 15 minutes...i never got a call back....i gave them two hours...then called back......and was advised the letter of med nec was faxed to dr kwons office. i asked for a copy of the letter...told them i would be there this afternoon to pick it up and of course....well i gotta leave a message for the nurse.....she will call you back...blah blah blah!!! like i said, i will just call dr kwons office to see if they got anything, then hope it is good enough to submit to my insurance company......god this is fustrating.......this so far has been the hardest part of the whole process for me....but like i said...God willing this is it!!!! I will see you at support...You sound AWESOME WENDY! to think you were sooo scared. rightfully so! i have my fears........we would be questioned if we weren't. but you sound like you have bounced back really well! good for you!!!! talk to you soon!

[Eileenja 0]

Just keep trying. I too had a very hard time with my pcp doing th letter. I had an appointment in October was told it would be done in two weeks. I called a month later and was told that they needed more information - another visit would be necessary. Unfortunately, I did have to go ack, but i refused to see the same doctor - this time i saw the boss. He did take care of me, but he also made the original doctor write the letter!!!!! Keep your chin up - you will be done soon!!!!!!

[porclndoll 0]

PHEW! Been a long day and I ment to post earlier...but ITS DONE! The letter is at Dr Kwons office! I called my PCP like every ten minutes.....hey, pain in the butt, but it got done. They faxed it over. I called Dr Kwons office and confirmed that it was there. I asked if it was good enough to submit to the insurance co for approval, and the lady I spoke to, I believe her name was Pam, said she would give it to MaryAnn to review to make sure it was good enough...if not she would call me. As of right now, I haven't heard anything sooo I am gonna assume that its good. I have an appointment with the nurse at Dr Kwons on the 31st.....This is all getting to be very real! It really hit me as a reality today! The upper GI didn't do it....The liquid pop rocks that I had to drink before the liquid chalk didn't do it....But getting that letter into Dr Kwon solidified it for me for some reason.....oh my gosh am I excited.....Nervous.....ANXIOUS....All those other "ed" and "ous" words out there!! I feel like I am sooo close.....Thank you all so very much for your words of support and encouragment! I am so happy to have gotten that letter! Takes a load off my mind! Talk to you soon!

[porclndoll 0]

Roseann....Tuna and cottage cheese mixed together??? Forgive me, but that sounds like not such a good mixture.....what is the purpose of adding cottage cheese with tuna? Added protien or does it give a mayonaise effect??? Im not gonna eat that by the way.... I actually got food poisoning off of tuna in a cafeteria not so long ago and i am totally done with it. I can't bring myself to eat it ever again! eeeeewwwe!!! Just curious! I will keep in touch! I have a consult with a cardiologist tomorrow. I guess he will determine if I need a stress test or echocardiogram....I had a heart murmer a while ago and had an echo...showed nothing wrong, but I wouldn't be surprized if they want that repeated before the surgery.

I will letcha know how it goes!

Talk to you soon!

[porclndoll 0]

Roseann

No surgery date picked yet....It will come soon though. I wanna get one of those Bullet things. They are awesome. They sell them at the Newburgh Mall at the As Seen On TV store. I am making notes now on what the diet is to be like after surgery. I am trying real hard to make some changes now so they all wont come at once after surgery too...It is tough. I am having a hard time with not drinking when I eat. I have done that all my life!!! And eatting slowly...phew...thats a toughy!!! Gonna try that baby spoon idea. How do you only put something the size of a pencil eraser in your mouth? I dunno. I will get there. I contemplated using Dr Artuso, but he wasn't on my insurance. How was he?

All righty gotta go...thank you for your support and info!

[porclndoll 0]

Roseann...My insurance is GHI HMO...I have heard wonderful things about them when it comes to making a decision...so hopefully it will go right through. I use to work for BCBS years ago! I worked on so many diffrent accounts! AHP, Sears, and a few others...I sorta miss it every now and again...but am truely happy to be outta there. I worked in the Middletown office. We use to have to go to Dobbs Ferry for my sons ENT. He was an awesome doctor but when our insurance changed we weren't able to see him in his office...we had to go to west chester medical center and see him in the clinic. That is the worst place you could ever end up! I love the hospital part because they did so much for my son when he was born, but the clinic leaves a lot to be desired! I don't plan my meals either. I am gonna have to start though. I know how important it is just to get the Water down....and keep it down. I am gonna try and make up a schedule before surgery that way its all done when I come home and get down to the nitty gritty. I work at a High School too.....sooo I am trying to get the surgery done while we are still in session. School ends in June. Then that way when I am off for the summer I can really concentrate on myself. My hope is that I can have surgery by the end of April, beginning of May.....I will be out of work a week...then come back and finish up the year with my student...I am a 1:1 paraprofessional to a student with a disablity. He and I have worked hard together over these last two years and I am really looking foward to seeing him graduate! My son will be going to a summer program too...MAYBE....my son has down syndrome and is supose to go to summer program at BOCES in Goshen...but I didnt really like the program last year. He may be home with me, recouping We are planning a trip to FL to see my father too....gonna be a busy summer.... I cant wait and it all starts with this surgery!!! Ahhh, I am sooo excited. I have to go to the cardiologist today at 3:00....I gotta drop my son off with my mom....and I am slowly getting ready. I am anxious to hear what he says.

Okay...I babble alot. Thanks for listening!

Take it easy !

[Eileenja 0]

Porcindoll

Just wanted to drop you a line. I think I have the same insurance as you do - I work for Monroe Woodbury High School and we have the GHI PPO (Orange Ulster Health Plan). They approved me with Dr. Kwon in like three days!!! I just had my surgery on 3/23 and I am doing very well. Hopefully they will be as quick with you as they were with me. Before you know it, you will be like the rest of us! I have had no problems with my insurance, so either should you!

Good Luck!

Eileen

.................I'VE GOT THE POWER.....

[Pacomomma 0]

I have GHI HMO MY papers were sent in on a Tuesday and I got the call Wednesday morning from GHI themselves . But I think my PCP did an excellent letter for me .

[porclndoll 0]

Hey guys!! Thanks for the feed back on GHI. I am looking forward to a speedy responce from them. I know how insurance works, having worked in the field...and I know all the things that can go wrong and all the things that can be said to cover up the reality of papers just sitting somewhere.......But I am confident that this is going to go as smoothly as everything else. I went to the cardiologist today and I don't need a stress test! Ehhhaa....and my murmer is gone......Ehhhaaa.....and he is going to recommend me for the surgery...He will send a letter of medical clearence to Dr Kwons office! So as far as procedures there is only one left.....endoscopy....April 6th. I need to meet with the nurse at Dr Kwons office tomorrow. I dont know if this is when I will get my surgery date or not......I pray that I do!!! And I have to meet Dr Kwon himself....finally meet the man behind the curtin! This is all going really really fast. Thankfully cause then I wont chicken out...Teehee. Not for nothing!! I will not chicken out! I will not quit! This "fat" person is done for! There is a whole other person inside just waiting to come out, and is basically busting down the doors! She is excited to get out and introduce herself to the world! WATCH OUT WORLD....HERE COMES THE REAL ME....SOON ENOUGH.....Thanks again for all the info and support!!! The day is coming where I can say been there done that!!! Can't wait!

Talk to you later!

[roseann 0]

wow Porclndoll, you sure do have a busy summer coming up, and so many things going on. BUT you will have the engery(As I have been told) to do alot of stuff when you lose the weight. Good for you, and keep up this positive attitude. I got on the scale this a.m. and only lost .2 lbs. My honeymoon stage with the Water weight loss is now over,and now the fat should start coming off, and this is the hard part. I only had 6 lbs. of water in me, so that was my first weeks total loss. I am a bit depressed, thought it would come off quicker the first 2 weeks, but I will not give up. I walked a bit yesterday at lunch at the dr. office that I work for(Plastic Surgeon in Scotchtown). So, that is getting me going now. TOday I will do the video Richard Simmons has out,I love him. I am off today from work, gorgeous sunny day so far. Have a good one, ok? Take care, talk to everyone soon.

Roseann

[porclndoll 0]

Roseann....Dont be discouraged. Thats the bodys natural responce to loosing weight...Ya loose Water weight really quick and then the fat is a bit harder to get rid of. Especially when your not putting as many calories in. As I understand it, its the bodies defense mechanism to the possiblity of being "starved".....it doesn't know where the next calories are coming from so it tries to hold onto the fat to use to burn....once it gets started you will see the pounds drop quicker. I love Richard Simmons too, but once the nice weather gets here I will want to be outside walking or biking or something..... He will be a good back up for the winter. So I am off to Dr Kwons office today...dunno what for? Supose to be talking to the nurse. I really really really would like a surgery date...even if its just tentative. I will post later to letchas know what happened. Appointment isn't till 3pm......its 9am now....six hours to ponder.....geez!

Talk to you soon!

[porclndoll 0]

welp back from dr kwons. met with the nurse..she was real nice. gotta date to meet with dr kwon finally! i get to meet the man behind the curtin! whoohoow! so i figure about four weeks away from surgery possibly????? i dunno. its gonna go quick! i got weighed on their fancy scale that measures everything except how much hair you have on your body....and was happy to see that i did infact loose the 10 pounds required....soooo i just have to maintain for the next four weeks approximately and we will see. I figure surgery the first week in may (by the grace of God)...which will be good. School is still in, my son will be in school I can use my days to rest...My mom is coming at night to help me with him....I have sick days I can take and will be very well recouped by summer....thats my plan and Im sticking to it. I just hope this is dr kwons plan as well all righty...talk to you all soon. support meeting on monday!

[Guest Vauren]

Ok, so I'm a little slow finding this thread.

I was banded on 3/23 also, as of monday I had lost 9 pounds since the surgery.

panda, I'm betting I saw you at Dr. Kwon's office the monday before!

My recovery has been a little slower due to the seizure I had right after the surgery. Anesthesia and my epilepsy do not get along well.

All the best to everyone here.

For some reason whenever I go into chat, no one is there. Anyone else have that problem?

V