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Still Banded

In the lead up to my surgery, my surgeon was 99% sure the band was going to have to come out, but agreed to get approval from my insurance carrier that if when he got in there, it appeared the band or the problem could be remedied without removal, that he'd fix the problem and leave the band in. Again, my fear of packing the weight back on overriding the numerous problems I've had with the band.   Nevertheless, I came out of surgery feeling relieved that the band was out and finally I'd have no more painful or embarassing food adventures. I was surprised at my disappointment of finding out the band was still in and the protruding, lopsided, scarred port area even bigger than ever. The surgeon repaired a hiatel hernia - just like when I had the band placed three years ago.   It's been three days and I can barely swallow the pain meds. Liquids are still going down with the old 'stop and drop' feeling. Not hungry but how laughable - still haven't lost a pound even after four days on nothing but clear liquid. Here we go again.
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

0
 

The Ongoing CPAP Saga

Today I got a phone call at work from "Lincare" calling to set up an appt to fit me with a "BiPap". The first opening was 3/17! I explained that I'm only doing this as a condition for surgery which is scheduled for 3/9. Magically, they're able to see me on 3/4 and even more incredible - they already have my insurance info and plan # - excuse me, isn't that my private info to disclose? Hopefully I can lease rather than buy something I doubt I'll use beyond my surgery date.
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

3
 

Endoscopy on Monday

Scheduled for an endoscopy on Monday. Never wanting to assume that my insurance will cover just anything, I called to make sure. It is, as is removal of the band, but "revision" requires pre-approval. The person I spoke with couldn't clarify for me what encompasses "revision"...replacing the band with a new band? going for the full monty with a bypass? Not required to, but I emailed my surgeon's PA to reinforce the need for pre-approval if "revision" gets tossed around. Why jump the gun since this is only a"look-see"? Well, I this is what I told him and his response...   Me: "The endoscopy has been scheduled for 2/18. Just to let you/surgeon know, the same "rules" we discussed before still apply. Definitely can't eat while wearing a bra, though I can eat small amounts of "safe" foods while seated. I've largely given up on any food that isn't the consistency of yogurt. I haven't been able to get down more than a tablespoon of vegetables and even the smallest amount of meat/fish/chicken will be making a reappearance. Tried again tonight - single slice of thin deli ham, chewed 45 times - stuck and likely coming back. The area around my port is tender but not consistently so.   Checked with my insurer endoscopy is covered without preapproval, so is band removal if needed. Any revision surgery will need preapproval."   PA: "Hopefully the egd goes well and gives us some answers, but the longer this persists with difficulty swallowing, and keeping down, foods that you should be able to tolerate, especially without any fluid in your Band, the more likely it is we will need to take a look with a diagnostic laparoscopy as we have discussed."   Guess what a "diagnostic laparoscopy" is? It's the same procedure used to go in to place the band, except this would be another "look-see"...if there's a problem, they'd take out the band. I'm guessing that any revision options would be agreed upon before this procedure, which is actually surgery but the thought of the surgeon leaving me on the table while they go off to get pre-approval has crossed my mind! LOL
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

2
 

Surgery Scheduled

The band will be coming out the first week of July. I am a bit sad(that it failed) and worried(that I'll pack it back on), but I have learned better portioning, and better control over emotional eating, so I'll try to be optimistic. Been following Weight Watchers and cut out all my slider/excuse foods so my weight is back down to ye olde plateau of 223. Still better than the 285 I was. I have a 15 pound cat who likes to be picked up like a baby. Just picking him up is a reminder of how what seems like a small amount of weight is quickly felt. Feel like a need a back support just hoisting him up from the floor! LOL   As I sit here at my desk - dressed; jeans,bra etc., I feel like I have acid reflux, and the last time I ate was over three hours ago. So that old bra + band double restriction with no fill in an 11cc band is reinforcement that it needs to go. I wonder what I'd be dealing with if I had a significant amount of fill in the band. Ah - never mind - too scary to think about!   So now with a BMI of 37.1, I would not qualify for WLS. Not sure how the Type 2 DM would play out - I am one, but my A1C is almost that of a non-diabetic. Wonder what would happen if I decide to proceed with a gastric sleeve?
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

0
 

And the Results Are In!

Another special experience at my WLS facility...started with patient registration advising me that despite my insurance being a PPO with no co-pay, because I hadn't yet satisfied this year's $600 deductible, they wanted $300 up front - but would settle for $100! The first intake nurse was a real charmer who while taking my BP felt the need to comment on how "blotchy" my skin is! Snow White ain't got nothing on me and when it's cold, I get flushed and blotchy on my arms. How this related to an endoscopy is beyond me. The doc was hour late for the procedure, I was left sitting in the pre-op/recovery room freezing under one little blanket while the nursing staff bitched at each other about their terrible hours, their crappy kids and where to go to lunch. Meanwhile the janitorial staff decided that in the middle of the workday was a good time to come in and take the rolling trays off to be cleaned, so some guy grabs the chart sitting on my tray, throws it on my bed and takes off with the tray. Finally get wheeled in for the procedure and it's like I'm not even there as the two attending nurses discuss some grievence they're planning to file if they don't get the shifts they want. They then proceed to discuss other patient's procedures using the patient's full names(Hello HIPPA???) and segway in to a fun discussion on episodes of choking they've treated in the ER and how that haven't been able to save everyone. The doc finally breezes in to ask a few questions and it's clear that what ever info gleem from the PA hasn't sunk in so I try to reinterate what I've got going on. Then I assume a semi-uncomfortable position, the drugs kick in and the next thing I know, I'm in recovery listening to some guy shout for a nurse..."Hello...Hello...can I please get some help - Jesus F--- Christ - does anyone work here?!" over and over until finally someone comes and acts like this patient is inconveniencing her.   Results: "Inflammation - esophagus, duodenum, stomach, ? lap band slip" Apparently a biopsy was taken and I was sent home with omeprazole and carafate the latter which I'm supposed to take a hour before each meal and at bedtime. Should be interesting as I haven't eat a real meal persay in ages! Doctor spoke with my husband who also reinterated what he's been seeing me go through. Upshot - take these meds and see you in 7-10 days.   Hope I'm not cursing myself, but as a cancer survivor, "biopsy" sends a chill down my spine!   For those wondering about what the test felt like - don't remember any of, no real sore throat to speak of, but really excessive gas and I spent the majority of the afternoon zonked out on the couch.
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

1
 

Family Gathering Miracle

Went shopping with the s-i-l on Saturday and no comments about my weight etc. Victory! Except for a question about whether or not I can eat asparagus as I was invited to a "cook out" at her house on Sunday...   What a surprise to arrive at my s-i-l's on Sunday to find a variable crowd of people there including my hardly ever seen b-i-l and his wife. Gee - on Saturday is was just me, s-i-l, and my three nieces. Kinda felt like I was being paraded out like a trick pony! Even more interesting - not a word from anyone re; the surgery/weight loss - but you should've heard the tongues wagging whenever I left the room and seen them checking out my plate! I managed a well-chewed half of a burger, a teaspoon each of beans and pasta salad and two asparagus spears. Hey - whatever as long as the endless comments stop. I have no doubt the phone lines are burning up today and it was par for the course to hear my b-i-l comment as they were leaving, "Jill looks like the same fat-ass as ever!" Sweet - good times!:thumbup:
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

3
 

Good Recipe Idea...or not?

Thought of a great way to get my veggies and breakfast out of the way: * 1 cup Low Sodium V8 * 1 pkt Veggie Powder * 2 scoops of Vitamin World Non-Soy Veggie Protein Powder * Horseradish/Worchestershire Sauce to taste   Ta Da! "Veggie Mary"!   Great idea until I added the Vitamin World product...turned gritty with an awful flavor. I've tried this stuff in various hot and cold applications - supposed to be flavorless - WRONG - it is awful regardless. I'm going to try this again tomorrow using Bariatric Eating's "Pure" and see if it's any better.
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

4
 

Precognition?

I started my journey on January 14, 2010 with my initial appointment with the bariatric team. We reviewed surgical options; GB -v-RNY etc. and the decision I made was GB due to the fact that I'd had breast cancer in 2000 and if I were to have a reoccurence, the band could be unfilled if I weren't getting the needed nutrition. So here I am, 50 pounds thinner and feeling good, when my yearly breast MRI shows an area of concern on the right breast(my original cancer was on the left). My gyn had me see a surgeon, who ordered an ultrasound and the biopsy done on 1/13 is postive for breast cancer. Just found out today - oddly, exactly 10 years to the date of the last day of my chemo. Of course, I cried but now I'm a bit angry and some what resigned. Kicking myself because I should've had preventative mastectomies 10 years ago and been done with it. Pissed that just as it seemed my life was improving I'm facing the possibility of debilitating surgery, chemo and radiation. Worried that it's spread and I'm not going to see my niece grow up and how will I get everything organized so my husband will be able to stay on top of running the household and caring for our pets. Saddened that I just may die a fat girl who didn't accomplish much. And just a little weirded out that what I said came to pass...and this isn't the first time!
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

1
 

Weight Watchers, Mastectomy Bras & My Band

Despite only gaining 9 pounds during chemo, my weight bounced right back up to where I was at the beginning of last year. My docs tell me the steroids can have delayed and lasting effects - great. Feeling almost like my old self most days but since starting Arimidex, I have days when I'm beat and my lower back aches like I've been digging ditches. Yet another side effect - but whew! only have to take this drug for five years! A friend got me to try Weight Watchers with her and though it's only been a few weeks, it seems to be helping. Still able to get all the protein I need - it's just so much simpler to have x amount of points to work with rather than the elaborate charts I seemed to be keeping noting protein, calories, carbs, fat etc. Well - I've tried everything else!!   On a strange note - like most women who've had mastectomies, I was professionally fitted for my special bras and prosthetics. The prosthetics add about 3 pounds of weight and are -to be blunt - HUGE! When not holstered, I tend to leave them laying on my bed where they look like two wrinkle breasts just fell off and landed. When worn - gee, it's just as great as wearing a bra before - still having to pull up my right strap while tugging down on the left. It's the first thing off when I get home - just like before. The really strange thing though is that I can't eat while wearing the bra - ANYTHING - and I'm throwing up. I first noticed this when I had to wear a compression bra post-surgery and was throwing up yogurt. Apparently the bra band in combination with the lap band creates some sort of vacuum. This is really great as I now have to either avoid going out to eat, go out wearing a big sweater and no bra, or find a creative way to unhook my bra before eating. Thankfully when I don't eat in public everyone assumes it's because of my band - I just don't admit its the OUTSIDE band...
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

0
 

Admitting I'm a Binge Eater

When I'd finally reached the end of my rope with my weight last fall and began the process of considering and applying for WLS one of the things my surgical practice required was an "essay" on why I wanted WLS. I posted that essay at the beginning of my blog. One thing I commented about myself somewhat laughingly was that I am a "bulimic who doesn't vomit", thinking that I was a rare bird or that I didn't really have a problem. Recently, my NUT recommended, OVERCOMING Binge Eating by Dr. Christopher Fairburn. What an eye-opener! I'm not uncommon and I'm not alone. Sadly, I never felt comfortable telling my doctors about my secret problem. I'm a classic Type-A; organized, perfectionist, Miss-do-it-all, not willing to admit weakness. In fact these are traits often possessed by a bulimic/binge eater. Handling stress, disappointments and sadness but stuffing it down - metaphorically and physically. I now know that if I'd had the courage to reveal my weakness, maybe I could've gotten help before I got to the point of considering WLS. I find it some what distressing, that no doctor - including my surgeon, and their affliated dietitian, and psychologist - ever picked up on it - even when it was there in writing and there was no evidence that anyone had ever addressed this problem with me. So here I am - most of the weight I've lost since banding in March has been pre-surgical. I'm not gaining - I'm stuck at 238. I'm still binging but for the obvious reason, I can't consume as much. I'm still not getting straight answers from my surgical practice and no one there has bothered to bring up the obvious - Jill...why aren't you losing weight? So I'm starting to work through this problem on my own - the above book has a Part II; a self-help workbook - and still looking for the right therapist. There is no way that anyone who says WLS was the easy way out has a clue as to what I'm (and I'm sure a number of fellow bandsters) are dealing with - it's not just the surgery, it's everything else that's coming out as a result. Pray for me as I will for you.
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

4
 

The Cookie Jar

When I was a little girl, my grandmother had a "tattletale" cookie jar. It was what Grandmama called a "German Hausfrau" - the part that held the cookies was her full skirt of dotted swiss and the top was her head and torso. She was a plump lady(the cookie jar - not Gran) with a kerchief over her curly hair; rosy cheeks and her mouth was an open "O". One arm was raised and held a rolling pin the other hand was raised with one finger caught mid-wag as in "naughty - naughty". When you lifted her torso to get a cookie, a voice box in the torso would cry out "Mama! Mama!". That cookie jar came to mind the other day when reading some of the comments other bandsters post. If you're a doctor, nurse or other bariatric professional, please say so. If not, if you're just like me - banded and providing your anecdotal account of what you're going through, please - for the sake of your readers - drop the preachy, holier than thou, dogmatic, goody-2-toes, "I always do just what my doctor, nurse etc say to do delivery of your message. Reading it can be a real burn-out:w00t:!
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

1
 

Veggie Mary Update

Made the Veggie Mary this morning with the Bariatric Eating "Pure" unflavored protein product and added a little garlic and pepper - very good. Even tasted the powder by itself - NO FLAVOR! Will order some today - my quest is over!:thumbup:
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

2
 

Slow Recovery to the Same Old, Same Old...

Just a little over a week from my surgery. I was understandably tired and couch surfing for a couple of days but was really surprised to find how tired I was even after resuming my normal activities. Each day I've been able to go a bit longer before finally having to say, "Enough". It's really disconcerting to find yourself breaking a sweat by simply making the bed!   My band removal surgery ended up being a hiatel hernia repair. The steri strips are still in place and the bruising has gone yellow. Really didn't have much post-surgical pain. Still have this peculiar lump at the base of my throat and am thankful I have my post-op visit tomorrow to find out what this is. Surgical boo-boo?   My discharge paperwork didn't really give me much to go on regarding what I should eat post-op. "Clear liquids...progess to normal diet.." really doesn't provide much help. Went online and WebMD has two weeks clear liquid only and so on until the SIX Week mark where supposedly you're able to eat a normal diet. Confusing.   How am I? Belching after even a sip of water. Any drink sounds like a slow drain gurggling down. Annoying cough to the point I'm tasting blood in the back of my throat. Acid reflux. Pain across back and jaw when I eat - even yogurt. Discharge instructions say it's okay for me to take my usual scripts and multi-vitamins - it now takes me half and hour to get them down and I've got to be standing to do it. I have to fight the urge to vomit them back up as they seem to stick with that horrid bitter medicine taste. Still can't eat while wearing a bra. Everything I do eat has that stuck, 'stop & drop' feeling, but as my husband pointed out, "At least you're not vomiting!". True, but that's more to do with my prior experience and now having restriction to the point of knowing at one bite that if I try another, it's going to be a problem. Incredible restriction considering I have an 11cc band with nothing in it.   Yes, the band is just a tool, but not every tool works for everybody. I'm wondering if there's something structurally different about me that's making the band a poor choice for me. I wasn't able to have post-mastectomy reconstruction because my body rejected the tissue expanders. I had an allergic reaction to my eyeglass arms and nose piece. Periodically the area around my port erupts with a strange itchy rash that requires extra antihistimines to bring under control. Having a stent in my ureter following kidney stone removal resulted in two weeks of painfilled hell beyond the normal discomfort as it felt like my body was trying to squeeze the damn thing out.   Here I sit, back at my desk with my hand up my blouse pulling my bra away from my chest as I belch after a couple of sips of coffee. As noted before - Same old, same old! Today's client lunch should be a riot!
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

0
 

The First Fill

Arrived 10 minutes late for my 10:45am appt and thought they'd have to reschedule - but as usual they're running late and I sit for another half hour - guess it's a good thing my afternoon was free.   The nurse took me back and got me on the scale - then the PA came in to do the fill. He was really nice and it was painless - 2.5cc.   What was really interesting is that I go back in another two weeks for another fill and apparently every two weeks until... The PA told me the first three fills are "no charge" - Gee for close to 30K they ought to be free!   Clear liquids today, so I have a raging "no food" headache, but I found that these "test tubes" of liquid protein (100 cal/0 carb/0 fat/25g protein) while not tasty did do the trick.
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

4
 

Yet Another Failure?

It's been over a month since I've seen any weight loss. I remain at 241 regardless of how much or how little I eat. I'm still hungry an hour or so after eating and can only hold out for so long. Prior to deciding to go with gastric banding, I reach a peak weight of 283. I was able to get down to 253 on my own, but the only time I was able to get lower was when I couldn't eat for several weeks due to a severe sinus/ear infection. It feels like it's happening again - I've reached a set point and my body is not going to let go. I guess this harkens back to the severely restricted momma mandated diets of my youth. I'm seeing my NUT today - hopefully she'll have some insight. Guess I should've gone for the GB after all.:biggrin:
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

3
 

Shock & Awe?!

So...big church BBQ last weekend. Lots of family and friends including one who had the LapBand last fall...and has lost 85+ pounds...SINCE the procedure i.e., not including what this person lost in prep for surgery. There were whispers and it wasn't good as this rapid weight loss coupled with this individual's love of tanning beds has resulted in a look that someone described(unkindly but accurate) as a "...cross between a dried prune and a boneless walnut.."! Couple this with this bandster's free admission(but not to their doctor or surgeon) that they often going on nothing but a cereal bar and some yogurt as a once daily meal...oh, and they've been in the ER twice in the past two months for illnesses directly related to improper nutrition/hydration, and a very different face of this potentially helpful procedure emerges. It also put me in the hot seat as some wanted to question why I haven't lost as much(in 4 months - are you serious?) and why don't I look "sick" like X. If seeing the other side of this journey wasn't enough, I was blown away when my fellow bandster announced that after the last trip to the ER, a call was placed to the bariatric facility. Apparently the bariatric facility didn't feel that the ER doc(at a major medical center doing angioplasty, stroke intervention, chemo using ports...) was "qualified" to remove fluid from the band. So - rather than sending a nurse or PA to the hospital or arranging to meet the patient at their PCP's office, a NP met the patient at a convenience store and withdrew all the fluid in the band in the parking lot...and told the patient they'd lost too much weight!:thumbup:
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

5
 

Easter Dinner

My turn to host the Easter dinner - after I had to convince the "fam" that no, the gastric band procedure did not remove my abilities in the kitchen! Par for the course - despite the fact that I had a whole dinner arranged, my m-i-l had to bring not only the scratch rolls(which I asked her to make - but not enough to feed 20 people), but also a pie and two dozen sweet rolls - for six people?! My s-i-l brought a salad(which I asked her to) but also a pasta salad and a fruit salad in heavy, sugary sauce - again, we're talking 5 adults and a toddler. Of course my s-i-l has DMII but doesn't "believe" she's a diabetic and doesn't like to eat the "healthy stuff" I make. That's defined as veggies you can recognize, not hidden in over sauced cassoroles. So she has to bring her own "contributions" which load up most of her plate.   Upon arriving my m-i-l says, "How's your little diet going?!" (still clueless no matter how many times I've explained the procedure) and my s-i-l; aka the MegaPhone Mouth from the Motor City starts the questions - "How much have you lost?", "Are you going to eat?", "Can you eat this?", "Can you eat that?" I just about lost it!   So, when everyone arrived and was hanging out before chow time I said something to the effect of, "This is it - get your questions in now, because I'm not going through this at every family get together nor am I going to give you material to gossip to any and everyone about me, my procedure, why I had it, what I eat, don't eat, wear/no longer wear etc! It's getting boring for everyone and since some of you can't respect my privacy, I simply am not going to put it out there." No sooner than I left the room, my s-i-l is grilling my husband! God love him - I could hear him tell her, "You heard with Jill said - let it go!" Later my nephew caught me in the kitchen and thanked me for having the "balls" to stand up to the "gossip girls"!:thumbup:
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

5
 

Pre-Surgical Testing

A fun week so far - and it's only Wednesday. Had the upper GI series, chest xray and abdominal Ultra Sound on Monday plus the blood gases and PFT - none was too terrible. Drinking the barium was awful - a banana/vanilla cup of sludge..but actually better than Medifast and it sits in your gut like a rock! A definate appetite killer! Tomorrow it's four hours of nuclear stress testing and an echocardiogram then on to the sleep lab followed my the nutritionist on Friday. I get off easy next week - just the PAT's and meeting with the surgeon on Friday. Got a message from the patient coordinator that they want to move my surgery up a day, but that was two days ago and I haven't managed to get her to call me back!
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

1
 

Ashamed to Admit It

I am starving. I am finding that a 1/4 - 1/2 cup of mush does nothing for me and I'm hungry 45 minutes later. I am finding I can eat things like chocolate(melts in your mouth), ice cream and oddly enough - Doritos(crunch down to nothing). So I've gained 3 pounds. I have no fill so the hungry doesn't surprise me but I am disappointed that after the sheer agony of the three month pre-surgical diet, I am cheating. Am I bored with my food choices(Hell Yes!) Is it a good excuse - No. Fill day can't come soon enough - maybe in the meantime my doctor could prescribe a good appetite suppressant!?!
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

5
 

Exactly One Week Out

Down to 246, so I've lost six pounds since my surgery. Having a hard time getting in 1,000 calories, but doing better with the protein - about 60g a day. Over did it a bit yesterday with chores and by 6pm was down for the count. Off the Loratab and finish the muscle relaxer today - good thing as it makes me dizzy and I can't focus to read. Positive side effect to all the protein - my nails look amazing! Working at my desk on the ongoing sage of the "Psycho PsyD". Despite numerous calls from BCBS she has yet to reimburse me what she over charged and incorrectly collected, so I'm having to file the claim myself and hope for a positive outcome.
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

4
 

Baby Talk?

This is a big "yuck" for me and I'm noticing it more and more - women who are either obese or have had WLS and are in the losing process or at their optimal weight - who insist on using infantile behavior, verbalizations or facial gestures. My latest support group meeting had a fine representation of this...and I'm spelling this as it sounded so my readers can get the vibe: - "I ate too much yesterday and I'm a aufwade my widdle pouch got stretched!" - "I've sooo much weight my pants are too big!" (Lower lip stuck out and shoulder shrug - not unlike my 5-yr-old niece) - "You people just don't understand - foot stomp - I can't resist ice cream and my husband ate it in front of me so I told him "I hate you!" and I ran to the bathroom in tears!"   I've also noticed it on TV too - Ruby - God bless her for her courage but really - do you have to hang all over your guy friends whining and trying to get them to focus only on you? Are you that insecure?   I don't see big guys doing this so I wonder - is it a coping mechanism? Sort of like - "Yeah - I'm severely over weight so to make you either like me or feel sorry for me, I'm going to act like a cutesy little girl!" It's not cute when Pamela Anderson pulls that crap on Dancing with the Stars - in fact it's not cute when any woman over the age of 17 plays this angle!:thumbup:
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

1
 

Loathing

How awful is it to absolutely loath a fellow bandster? I really enjoy reading everyone's comments and get a lot of useful info, but there's one community member whose self-satisified, Holier-than-Thou, preachy lectures make me want to scream. That vague school-marmish tone directed at fellow bandsters who've slipped on dietary rules. That "maybe you should question why you have the band" finger wag. What -because you slipped you should get your butt to the doctor and have him take it out because you're just not committed enough?! Everytime I read this bandster's comments I cringe - esp for the person who originally put the question out there looking for positive support and not a smarmy lecture. Even my husband read few of this bandster's posts and had to laugh - his comment is apt - "Get Over Yourself!"!:thumbup:
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

2
 

The Psycho PsyD

Here's a laugh...a gal from my baratric support group and a family friend both saw the same PsyD as I did and we all came to the conclusion that this woman was nuts or just doing it for the money.   In my case she asked me over the phone for my insurance info so she could confirm my coverage. At the consult she told me since I hadn't met my deductible I'd have to pay her out of pocket then and there. When I told her this wasn't the way my plan worked she had a mini-meltdown and I ponied up rather than to reschedule what turned out to be pointless.   She wasn't able to finish the survey and had to call me one night the following week to finish up!?! Then she emailed me my invoice and told me she'd also file it with my insurance company. When she didn't, I sent her a reminder note and she told me that since she'd sent me the invoice it was my job to handle reimbursement!?!?   I called my insurance company to find out how to do this and they told me it was her job and that she'd overcharged me - i.e., not the negotiated rate for my carrier. They're planning to review her contract and advise her that she's in the wrong!:rolleyes2:
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

1
 

Group Dynamics

Attended a support group meeting with a friend. There were about 80 people there and not surprising most were quite obese. What got us was when we went around the room with everyone giving their surgery date/weight loss etc and it turned out that most of the people there were a year plus out - and hadn't lost much weight or had reached a plateau. Sadly, the people running the meeting (surgeon's group)had no valuable input to give beyond the same old "60-80grams of Protein!, Exercise!, Eat Less!" Equally troubling - the number of attendees who'd had the procedure yet had no clue about proper nutrition, the presenter when fielding a question from a diabetic patient who commented that because she'd had the procedure she, "couldn't still be a diabetic...next question!..." and the push to go back on Medifast(which they sell - Buy some NOW!) when you reach a plateau. I get more from this site and my NUT - thank God my doctor had the sense to hook me up with the right person!:smile:
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

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The Fourth Fill

Had #4 on Friday and the experience was par for the course. My appointment was @ 9:30am...I was still waiting at 11:30am along with a fairly crowded waiting room. True brilliance on the part of the scheduling department - only one NP on duty. Many interesting conversations in the waiting room and nice to know I'm not the only one who is hungry all the time and wondering when they're going to get "there". Think we were all a bit taken aback when the NP came out to call someone back and was advised in passing that the doctor had slipped an additional patient into the NP's schedule. Her mini-me meltdown of shrieking, "Where does she think I'm going to find room in my schedule - I'm already booked solid?!!?" made me want to re-schedule then and there! My own fill, while unremarkable(quick; not painful; no backwash) was confusing? disappointing? left me in the dark? I thought after the last fill I had 5.5cc in the band. That was based on this same NP telling me she put 1.5cc in at the last fill. I told her I'm hungry an hour after eating and my loud howling stomach during meetings was getting annoying, so she told me I definitely need a fill(ya think?) and advised that she wouldn't be as aggressive as last time...so she put .6cc in and told me I now have 4.8cc in my band. Huh? So instead of the 1.5cc Fill #3 I actually got .2cc and that's aggressive? When questioned I couldn't get a straight answer - of course I can do the math, but I'd like to know accurately how much is in there. Does explain why I've been so hungry and why- BIG SURPRISE - two hours after eating this morning, I'm hungry AGAIN! Next fill is 8/25 - unless I get bold and try to get in in about two weeks....:closedeyes:
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

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