tigerbelle

Part of my fear is a direct result of complications I had for major surgery in February of 2009; it has taken me over three years to even consider surgery as an option...I had a paniculectomy to remove a massive lymphedema (over 30 lbs. of tissue and Fluid removed)...I had complications and ended up back several times for additional surgery...to sum it up, I spent a week in intensive care, another 3 weeks in a regular room at the hospital, a month at a rehab hospital, back to the regular hospital for a skin graft over my entire abdomen, after which I was immobilized on my back in the hospital bed for 2 weeks unable to leave that position for 2 weeks (yes, I had Valium)...I then spent an additional two months homebound with home health wound care before returning to work after a total of 5 months...I knew the risks of course, but what was supposed to be a week in the hospital and return to work in 6-8 weeks was an ordeal I never want to experience again

I am humbled by the gracious welcome and appreciative of the advice, feedback and offers of support..y'all have brought up some very relevant factors to consider...I am going to continue reading the posts and devote some extra prayer time to this decision...for sure I agree that this is a decision only I can make based on my comfort level and my own needs...I am fortunate that this upcoming week I have a session with my therapist, and I am going to take that opportunity to talk through some of my issues with her...again thanks for all of the support and feedback...it always seems to help me each day to read the various posts and threads on this site

how coincidental...I also have LSUFirst, and they basically without hearing anything just said NO...unfortunately, switching jobs or being picked up on a spouse's plan are not options for me...I am less than two years from 30 years of service and full retirement...also I am not married nor foresee that happening any time soon...I pray for your dad's success and admire his courage

thanks for the feedback, suegirl and Jonathan my insurance specifically excludes coverage of any type of bariatric surgery for any reason--no matter if it is medically necessary or not...I work for the State of Louisiana (the obesity capital of the south outside of Mississippi), and none of the insurance plans offered to state government workers covers any type of bariatric surgery...it is ridiculous since the benefit payments they have made to cover all of my comorbidities from the diabetes and obesity are staggering...go figure

since I had my initial consultation with the surgeon yesterday, I guess I have officially begun my "journey." I am still very apprehensive about the surgery, but feel like I am at the end of my rope now and that this is the only viable option I have for a healthy life. I know this is a somewhat different attitude than most of you whose posts I've read, but I am just being honest. The surgeon I consulted only does VSG, but his partner does others, like the RNY...after doing research, I think VSG will be my best option, and my doctors seem to agree. I had some hesitation (1) because the procedure is a lot newer than RNY and (2) I wasn't sure that a restrictive-only WLS would be effective in not only weight loss but helping resolve some of my issues like type II diabetes. A lot more people have had VSG since I first started considering it, and the research shows that VSG has almost as high of a success rate in not only weight loss but resolving issues like diabetes as the RNY does. The good news from my consult was that the surgeon believes he will be able to do my surgery laprosopically. I was afraid that that would not be possible since I had abdominal surgery with a resulting skin graft about 3 years ago. He won't know for sure until I have a CT scan of my abdomen, but the chances look very good. Also, he seemed quite confident in his skills and ability to perform the procedure, and he (knock on wood) has not had any patients with such serious complications as leakage. He explained the procedure to me graphically, and that helped me. The bad news is mostly that my insurance definitely will not cover the surgery. I have made some previous posts in the forum about that. My concern is not so much thte initial cost of the surgery (I have been saving up for a while with thoughts that I would have to self-pay). I am just worried about unexpected complications and additional surgeries that could happen and that also wouldn't be covered by my insurance. From past experience, I know that such bills can build up rapidly and to levels well over $100,000. That would be a financial nightmare for me. I keep telling myself, though, that I just need to pray and have faith. It is difficult for me to talk publicly about my weight and related stats, but others have been honest about it on this site, so I feel it might be helpful and supportive for me to also be honest and open about this. I am 5'2", and yesterday at the consultation, I weighed 277 lbs. and had a BMI of 51 (per my recollection). I turned 50 years old this year. I have several comorbidities, including type II diabetes, high blood pressure and poor circulation. I would be happy just to lose 100 lbs. but my goal would be more like a 125 lb. loss...I think I would be comfortable weighing around 150 lbs. More important, though, is that I would be able to get my a1c levels below 7 and be able to get off of insulin and maybe most of my other meds. Because I will be self-pay, I don't have to meet any insurance company requirements and paper work. My doctor requires one visit with a NUT before scheduling surgery and then a follow-up visit with the NUT. Also, I need a letter from a mental health professional as to my psychological readiness for WLS. I have a therapist I have been seeing for many years, so I will discuss this matter at my next session. I am not sure what factors she will consider when making the recommendation. The only other question I am having some difficulty with is the "when." Because I am self-pay with no insurance red tape, the surgeon said the decision of when would be up to me. Here are some of the factors I am considering. The earlier I have it, the less likely I am to lose my resolve, and the sooner I will begin the path to what I pray will be a healthier life. I also have this fear that I will have some more serious complications from my diabetes if I wait too long. The downside to me personally is simply the time of year and overall timing. Fall is my favorite season, and really the only season of year I enjoy. It is also the time when I take my vacation and any personal trips. I am scheduled for a trip to San Francisco in mid October, and I've already paid the deposit for a Caribbean cruise over the Thanksgiving week. I know I could cancel both of these and reschedule for next year, but I was looking forward to these trips. Plus, in trying to be realistic about the future, I don't know how long it could take me to recover from the surgery itself, especially if I should have unfortunate complications. If I delay the surgery until after Thanksgiving, then Christmas is upon us. Christmas is my favorite holiday, and it does sadden me to think of having surgery around Christmas time. I am leaning towards a January surgery date...the new year, new beginnings thing appeals to me. Really that is just about 3 months away so it's not a whole lot of prep time. Perhaps I need that long to prepare. Sorry for such a long opening post. Any feedback of any type is welcome. I am thick-skinned and can't be offended.

as a taxpayer, this is the kind of thing that angers me...not that medicaid covers WLS but that people like me--who work in State government--have insurance plans that do NOT cover WLS...so I am working for the government and don't have coverage...but my taxes that I pay as a worker are being used to cover WLS for those who aren't contributing taxes...unfair to the max

I hope all works out for everyone...just to make you all feel a little better--at least you have the chance to get approval and coverage...my insurance (State of Louisiana) does not even consider coverage of bariatric surgery, so I will be paying myself for the entire process

hope you continue to get better each day

so GatorTime....if I paid my surgeon up front cash, he should be able to offier me a 10% discount and still make more profit than if I financed through CreditCare and he got charged 13%....right?

great, MsInzee

thanks for the advice, angeleyes...that is something I will talk with my insurance company about judysart: I hear ya...what makes me so angry is that it is proven that the long-term costs of treating complications from diabetes, for example, far exceed the cost of the WLS...I don't understand why insurance companies don't recognize this

I am wondering how this company--Care Credit, which I have heard of--stays in business if it charges no interest...it must be that the surgeons themselves "discount" the account when it's turned over to Care Credit...in other words, if the surgeon's bill is $15,000, Care Credit would settle with the dr. by paying him/her $14,000 let's say...from the patient, though, Care Credit would collect the entire $15,000 from the patient, thereby profiting by $1,000 on the transaction that makes me wonder...do surgeons possibly charge less to patients who are paying them up front with cash versus the patients who either finance through some company like Care Credit or have to file paperwork for insurance coverage....hmmm

here is a related question from me...I know my insurance doesn't cover bariatric surgery, so I will most likely be paying for the VSG myself...I have saved enough to pay for it; however, a concern I have is the chance of complications...I have heard that if you self-pay for the VSC surgery, that if you have complications as a result, the insurance company won't cover the cost of care that ensue from the complications...extended hospital stays, rehab and additional surgeries could add up to way over twice what the initial surgery costs...supposedly there are insurance companies that you can obtain a policy from that will cover the costs of care if the surgery has complications for up to one year post-surgery....has anybody heard of this or know of someone who has utilized it? any feedback will be helpful

thanks y'all for the encouragement...I am trying to remain optimistic...I saw my therapist today, and that helped me sort through some things...I see the bariatric surgeon next week for an initial consult, so I will keep y'all updated...thanks for the prayers scaredoftheunknown: I pray for success with your surgery on Thursday...you are all very inspiring

Hi, all...I am going in for a consultation with a bariatric surgeon next week. I am not sure if he is going to recommend a VSG or a Roux en Y bypass, but I am hoping he thinks the VSG is the best option Reading this particular thread has made me somewhat nervous...one of the main motivators for me to seriously consider WLS now is that my a1c levels have been extremely high--I am talking over 9 it is like I am now feeling this surgery is my last resort due to serious complications I have faced already and am facing right now...for example, I have an ulceration on my left big toe right now that is taking a long time to heal (the uncontrolled diabetes being the main culprit plus poor leg circulation)...the dr is even concerned I may end up having to have that toe partially or fully amputated--a horrible thought to me I am now in compression stockings all day plus wearing a boot for protection on my left foot...if I get over this current crisis (please God), I am determined that I will have the WLS in an attempt to gain my health and life back...this thread brings some fear to me, because my PCP thinks I am now in a vicious cycle requiring drastic action, so I am not sure if I will be able to get my a1c back down to under 8 and surely not under 7 before I have another serious health crisis the reason I am responding here and asking for feedback is to find out what types of comorbidities y'all had (if you are willing to share) prior to undergoing surgery or seriously contemplating it...just to let you know my current situation...I have a BMI of about 50 (weighing about 280 lbs)...I have a bad time with skin infections (such as boils)--I tend to get them easily and they are long-time healing...I have poor circulation in my legs (hence the compression stockings)...I am 50 years old....been diagnosed a type 2 diabetic for about 10 years now...currently I take the maximum recommended dosage of metformin daily...also, I am on 30 units each evening of Lantus...I am on blood pressure medication, an anti-depressant, thyroid supplement, and a medication to reduce triglycerides (not really working)....part of my fear is that when I consult with the surgeon next week, he is going to tell me I have too many high-risk factors to even attempt the surgery....I guess I am just wanting to know if there is anybody who has had the multitude and severity of problems I have now prior to having their VSG....