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Krystle

Gastric Sleeve Patients
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Posts posted by Krystle

  1. Posted

    Hello All,

    I am Krystle and I was sleeved on 8/25 by Dr. Shrikanth at the evergreen hospital in kirkland. I haven't really talked to anyone else from Washington on here. Everything is going great and I have as of today lost a total of 21 lbs. I am excited to meet new people from the same area.

    tropicalgal and sdb1147 reacted to this

  6. Posted

    Hello,

    I was sleeved on the same day as you. As of today I have lost 21lbs. What worked for me was, crystal light peach tea flavor. I mixed that in a really big mug type glass. It can hold about 28-30 oz. So I drink a minium 4 glasses a day. That's all of your Fluid intake. I also stuck with just fluids. I really liked the top ramen packets. I didn't eat the noodles just justed the sauce packet for the broth. I also have surgar free Jello, and popsicals. I have been doing this type of diet, because I am still sore inside and sometimes it hurts when a puree goes down. But this is what made me loose some weight within 2 weeks.

  7. Posted

    So I checked with my surgeon's office and they said they had to refax my paperwork because Cigna doesn't have any record of receiving it. Grrrrrrrr :angry: So frustrated! Thanks for the informaion! I'll definitely document our convo next week when I call Cigna!

    Yea that can happen sometimes with the insurance company. It really sucks. But it once CIGNA get's it than they are normally pretty quick on getting you approved. If you have met all the qualifiers than you are automatically approved. Just hang in there. But Cigna is a good insurance to have. They are really awesome. But here's one thing to waatch out for with your nausea meds. When I left the hospital I had a perscription for 30 8mg zopfran disolveable pills. I went through those in 5 days, which was what the perscripton was wrote for. They gave me the generic version of zopfran which is ondansatron. But anyways, I call my surgeron on friday for a refill and on saturday when I call to pick it up cigna had denied the refill. They denied it sayin they need a authorization for the refill and will only pay this time for 20 pills. So I saw my surgeon today and asked him to call. They got the auth in and cigna paid for them but my surgeon forgot to write it for desolvables. So I have to crush them up, they are soooo icky to drink .But I am calling tomorrow to request for disolveables becuase I can't take them like this they are way too gross. So something to watch out for for your medications. But I didn't have to pay for any of my meds, cigna for me paid at 100%. So meet your deductibles. Than they will pay 100%. Hang in there.

  8. Posted

    My surgeon's office resubmitted my paperwork last Monday so I'm anxiously awaiting the response. I've thought about calling Cigna several times, but I'm afraid I'm denied so I haven't gotten up the courage to call yet. lol

    Just be positiive. You can also have someone else call. As long as they are right there with you, they can ask the representative the questions with your permission. And than you jus tlisten. They are really quit friendly. If you have anymore questions just let me know. Stay positive. You should have a answer on your authorization with maxium 5 business days. Unless they need something in return. Just make sure that you write the persons name down when you call and what time and day, also a breif summary of what the converstation was about so you have some documentation.

  9. Posted

    Thanks everyone for commenting. It's good to know I'm not the only one struggling. I was thinking it was only me. Well, I am now post op 4 days. I am feeling better but I am so tired of liquids. I keep thinking will this ever end. I think I am having head hunger because I know my stomach feels full but I would love to eat something wonderful. Hopefully soon I will feel better about having this surgery when I can actually chew food .

    There's definately a mental change after surgery. That's for sure. When the grelin is gone. It's all in the head about feeling hungry.

  10. Posted

    I didn't wake up with a drain in. But I do have a incision literallty right next to my belly button. So maybe when I was still sleeping I would. I am not sure thought. But I do have eight incisions on my stomack. The one that is 2 inches hurts the worse. It still hurts under neath,but I have a follow-up tomorrow for my two week. So I am sure it's normal pain. I am still sore from surgery and it will be two weeks. But my surgeon wrote me a doctors note excusing me out till the 19th. I also woke up with oxygen in my nose. But I got use to that. I went home the next day. Just take it easy your first day or night home. Make sure you keep on track with your nasea medicine. I had my husband write it down everytime I took one so I would stay on track. I threw up once and it wasn't so hot. Also if you get sore really fast use a ice pack. But you need to help hold it up. Don't put too much pressure on the incision site. The glue they used is to close the incisions so they don't reopen while you are healing.

  14. Posted

    I would try a different dr. since the same dr, has a failed lap band. the sleeve is a removal of your extra stomach, it's not reverable and is permante. so this you need to take into concideration. there are some risk to it but with a good surgeon people do fine. you have restricksons to what you can and cant eat especially leading up to surgery time and after. definately consult with a different dr. since the lap - band got infected this might cause complications for a sleeve. but this you should as a surgeon.

  15. Posted

    Here are some of the things that I brought to the hospital with me.

    Burt's bee chap stick - your might get very dry lips from being under

    toothbrush and tooth paste - when it was time to go home it felt really nice to brush my teeth

    a pillow for the car ride home - you are going to have incisions on your stomach so put a pillow between the belt and you in the car so it's not so tight and doesn't hurt you. also lower you seat back some it will help as sitting straight up will hurt some

    comfortable cloths - I wore very loose fitting close and I made sure I washed them the night before so they were clean

    kleenex, plastic bags, and bottles of Water - this is for the car ride home in case you throw up - very useful!

    Any medications that you are currently on, also if your surgeron gave you your meds for after surgery before your surgery make sure you bring those for the ride home

    i also brough stuff to take a shower, it was more like a wipe down but it felt good after being all hooked up and out of it.

    any books or laptops, blankets, and pillows for whoever will be with you.

    For the first week I slept in a recliner because of how you can position it. the bed hurt way too much for me to lay down and even sit up with all the incisions.

    ALSO MAKE SURE THE NURSES GIVE YOU DRESSING CHANGING STUFF BEFORE YOU LEAVE!!

    Hope this has helped some.

  16. Posted

    Your surgeon's office biller can apply your insurance company if everything is documentated like they say they verified. It's illegal to transfer any balalnce down to the patient unless the remit from the insurance company states so. You can request a copy of your medical remit for you surgery and see what was covered and what wasn't covered. It's your surgeons billers responsibility to bill out correctly. And if they are out of network they can appeal the insurance company for medical ness. and maybe win the cost. I am a medical biller for dialysis and I deal with this things all the time.

  17. Posted

    So I've completed all the requirements for VSG by my insurance company and my doctor's office submitted my paperwork. I was denied due to not having a letter of clearance by my PCP. Okay, no big deal. I went to my pcp and he wrote the letter and forwarded it to my surgeons office. I follow up with the surgeons office on Thursday to find out if my paperwork has been resubmitted and the coordinator states that after further review CIGNA requires a BMI of 50 for VSG. I'm like WTF? That's not why I was denied. She then states there is a clause they noticed and called the insurance company to verify. The coordinator said she spoke with a supervisor at CIGNA and that a 50 BMI is required. WTH is going on? I was told a 40 BMI or over 35 BMI with a comorbidity by their office and the insurance company. The coordinator states that I would be approved for the lap band or the bypass. I DON'T WANT EITHER OF THOSE!!!

    So i'm so confused now! The denial letter states that I am being denied because of a clearance letter and not because my BMI is too low. Wouldn't the insurance company have denied because of the BMI requirement not being met if that was the issue? Should I have my doc's office resubmit the paperwork with the clearance letter and hope somehow they miss the part that I only have a BMI of 40 with acid refux and mild sleep apnea? Evidently this will be my last chance to submit paperwork for this surgery since I have already been denied once. Not sure how that whole thing works, but that's what a CIGNA agent told me. I can only submit one more time.

    Has anyone been approved by CIGNA for VSG with a 40 BMI? :help:

    I have CIGNA and I am almost 2 weeks post op for VSG. There's a lot to do for cigna to get approved. But they do cover the sleeve by itself as a surgery. Here is the cigna medical policy for weight loss surgery. http://www.cigna.com/customer_care/healthcare_professional/coverage_positions/medical/mm_0051_coveragepositioncriteria_bariatric_surgery.pdf I would print a copy of that off and take it to your surgeon's coordinator and explain to her that a BMI of 40 qualifys you for surgery. Per cigna's guidelines you must have a BMI over 50 to get a DS sugery not a VSG. So you can get approved. You can also call cigna and resubmit the authorization yourself with the proper paperwork. When you call cigna make sure that you listen to the prompts for the authorixation department. There will be a refference number, write that down. That number is what the surgeon needs to bill cigna and get paid. Your BMI is fine. The coordinator needs to resubmit. But also make sure that the place that the surgeon is going to preform the surgery is a center of excellance by cigna if it's not you will get denied again. I hope this helps. Add me as a friend and you can ask me any questions in regards to cigna or insurance. I am a medical biller so I work with insurance all the time. Hope you can get this going for you. Have a great weekeend!

  18. Posted

    How is it going so far?

    How long did you take off from work?

    The first few days for me where pretty rough adjusting. My surgeon put me on a sugar free liquid diet 10 days prior to surgery. IT was hard but I made it. But what that diet did for me was definately help me in the long rin. Cause after surgery thats my diet. I had a hard time getting all the fluids in at first but I managed. I was really sore and the pain meds they gave me didn't work so after I went home I went back to the ER cause the pain meds weren't working. But don't let that scare you. when you leave the hospital make sure what they perscribe you will work. Thats how you prevent that situation. After coming home with meds that worked I was fine. I ate Soup that was strained. Just watch how much calories you are taking in on the Soups.I really like progressos chicken and wild rice Soups. I would just sip on the broth but hey it tasted good. I didn't feel hungry anymore so that was a change. My stomach could only hold about 4oz which is about 1/2 cup at a time. With all the pain meds and fluids I didn't have room to drink all the Soup. But I tried. I am off work for 3 weeks. Some people stay off longer some don't. It all depends on you and how you heal. I am almost 2 weeks post-op now. It will be that on thursday. I am still sore, and I am able to get all my fluids in. I broke out in a rash from the glue, but that's normal. I am still on a liquid diet but I am doing great. I have moved from the recliner back to my bed. So everything is going wonderful at this time. Being nervous or scared is normal. I was all the way up to the time they took me back. I even cried when they did. I have youtube video's under superkcosta of before surgery, tricks for Protein, and during the hospital. You will be ok in the end. The biggest thing to think about is do you believe in your surgeon? If you do there's nothing to worry about.

  19. Posted

    Congrats to you!! I was sleeved a week ago and it's been wonderful! let us know how you are doing!

    Hello VST users. I am new to this site. I am scheduled to have my surgery on 9/19/11. I am an appointment to get my pre-testing done tomorrow morning. At this time I will meet the anestilogist, get an EKG, chest x-ray, and bloodwork. I am sure everything will be fine...I hope. Wish me luck!

    -Lovey :rolleyes:

    Height: 5’3

    Highest Weight: 251 lbs

    Current Weight: 241 lbs

  21. Posted

    I am a week post-op and I too struggled with liquids the first few days. Do what you can. Try crystal light packets to add to Water. It makes a big differences so that you are not just drinking the same thing over and over again. I like the peach tea flavor of crystal ligjt. Also if you are using the little medicine cups line ten up and try to drink ten within a hour. you'll be fine just make sure you get some liquid in. Take care. :D

  22. Posted

    Thanks so much. The itching is good today. I am a week and two days post-op. So it's getting better. I have been appling topical cream to the area's that are rashey. It's been working. Not 100% sure what caused it. But it seems that a lot of people get this from surgery. The incisions still hurt but I am getting better day by day. Thanks for the help!

  23. Posted

    I was just sleeved last week and the pre-op diet helps a lot for after surgery. My diet was a liquid diet for 10 days. So I didn't get any food intake at all. But you can't eat anything for 2 weeks after your sleeve either. So it helps in the long run. Increase your Protein if you need to help you when you have the hunger pains or feel hungrey. Also try crystal light peach tea, or diet tea to get your caffeen in. But you can't have soda and you can't have that especially after you've been sleeved. It's been more challeging for me to adapt after the surgery. I know it's tough but you will do great!!

  25. Posted

    Thank you so much ladies!! I really apprciate all the help. I have been taking my apin meds like normal. Well on a time routine my husband has been giving them to me. Just the liquid vicodine doesn't work much for pain. I have been walking and it just hurts. But the more walking will only help me in the end. I am excited to start my new life with my sleeve. I look forward to enjoying life for once! I really like this site because it's so hard to find people to talk to that have had the sleeve and not the ryn... or whatever that other one is. My husband has been helping me the most and I appreciate it so much. The only thing I don't like is the burps or the feeling of something coming up from my stomach being so small. It's so painful. But I am managing it. I have my two week follow up on the 7th. So I am looking forward to seeing my weight drop. Keep in touch to those that want to talk. I am available for a long time!! lol... :lol:

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