Jammil0411

Now that I've ordered the book, I want it signed by the author. How can I make that happen?

My husband reminded me that the chemo that I took for 18 mos. was known to be hard on the heart, so the blockage might be from that. I was a little freaked out about it, but since I have had 5 echocardiograms since the chemo, I'm hoping when I have this cat scan on Tuesday or Wednesday there will only be mild blockage and therefore I can proceed to Insurance approval and proceed to surgery.

I thought I would be home free. But NOOO! The echocardiogram is normal, but the stress test is abnormal. Now I have to have a CAT scan to see how much valve blockage I have. He said if it's less than 50%. I can go forward with the surgery. If it's more than 50% blocked, I have to have a heart procedure. Great! What else can prevent this surgery?

I have concluded all the pre-op testing. Does anyone know how much longer it could be before surgery?

I am from Brandon, FL, called a bedroom community next to Tampa. I will have my sleeve in Tampa. I'm 52. My e-mail address is jammil0411@tampabay.rr.com. Feel free to e-mail me directly. I have enjoyed this site because when I was told I had to have an endoscope, I was a little freaked out. I posted it online and I got lots of replies from people we had done it.

I met with the cardiologist today. Had a resting EKG. I go in next week for a resting stress test and the next day a pharmacological stress test. I'm having bilateral scans of my legs tomorrow. I think that's it. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Hi: I'm Jackie Mitchell and I'm still pre-op doing all of my authorizations. I saw the Cardiologist today to get a cardio check. I'm supposed to have a stress test next week, but he said he's not going to make me walk on the treadmill because of my weight and my osteoarthritis. He's going to do it in two visits. One is resting and one is with medicine which will speed up my heart as if I were running. I wonder if you can get your exercise by pill. I'm still in the hurry up and wait phase. I'll be your sleeve buddy. I'm so happy for you that you have a date set. I was told I have to do 4 steps before I can get to the surgery. He does all of his surgeries on Thursdays, so I know it won't be tomorrow. I still have to have my legs sonogramed because I did have a DVT in 2004. He needs assurance that I don't have a hiding clot. Are you getting anxious about the surgery? I'm not after the endoscope last week. I was so underwhelmed by being knocked out. I was waiting for them to start when they said it was over.

Thanks for everyone's posts. It helps to kill time in between clearances and approval.

I would definitely reach out and ask for help. You did that when you shared your thoughts on your weight loss compared with post-op surgery time. Don't listen to your mind. Remember, our minds got us to the places where we needed surgical help. Our minds are not our friends. You've already gotten some feed back from the talls. You are not alone.

I went to Dr. DiCicco's office today to deliver the endoscope report. I was told there are 5 steps to go through before surgery. They gave me a script for a cardio clearance and a script for a bilateral scan of my legs. When those two reports are in, they will put me on a 2 week Protein liquid diet. Then, they will submit my medical records to my insurance. When that is approved, they will schedule the surgery. She showed me the pile of patients awaiting surgery. I was so disheartened. I thought it was going to be July, but I think I'll be lucky if it's September, 2014.

I hope Dr. Dicciccio sets the date for my surgery and tells me what else has to be done and gives me the scripts for it all. I'm tired of waiting. I know my insurance has covered it. They're the ones that told me to use this surgeon. Even though I know this, his office tells me it will take a month for the insurance company to approve the procedure. (sigh).

I've been ready since Day 1. I had the endoscope. Now I just want the surgery scheduled. When I met with the surgeon in May, he said it would happen in no more than 6 weeks. July would be 6 weeks and he still hasn't scheduled it. What us taking so long?

My doctor told me that the liquid diet we go on prior to surgery is to shrink the liver so if you are following it, your liver should be smaller.

Now that I have had the endoscopy. How long does it take to get the sleeve done? Just wondering. I ordered a new night gown and robe for surgery. My husband wants to know when it will be. Me too.

Congrats. I'm Just entering the endoscope procedure. I don't know how fast it goes from this procedure to surgery.

I'm not a good sleeper. I fall asleep watching TV. Now I'm going to be staring at the walls, reading and freaking out.

I'm on medicare and insurance pays for all my procedures because they are deemed medically necessary.

My procedures are Wednesday.

My scope is going to be an endoscope and colonoscopy too. Both ends are being scoped while I'm under amnesia. Yay!

Thanks everyone for the support. I've been so freaked out about procedures and surgery, I've actually lost 10 lbs. My surgeon said that's normal, too. If we could stay freaked out for life, we probably wouldn't have a weight problem at all.

I'm meeting with a Gastroenterologist tomorrow to schedule a throat and stomach scope pre-surgery. I've never heard of such a procedure and I'm a little freaked out about it. It sounds like another surgery prior to surgery. I'm chicken. I will do whatever is necessary as I have been chasing this procedure for almost three years. --- Jackie

Met Dr. Diccicio for the first time today. Of all three of the potential surgeons I have consulted with and had to pay $45.00 co-pay, I found my guy. Dr. Diciccio didn't talk at me and he didn't act all self important. He answered all my questions and he didn't treat me like I had no right to know the why this and why that. He explained to me why the liver has to be shrunken before surgery even though I'm not an alcoholic and I haven't worn out my liver. He said even obese people have an enlarged liver that can be reduced by a ten day liquid high Protein diet. I have to have my legs scanned for clots (which I had in 2004), I have to have a cardiac clearance and I can have surgery in about six weeks. Yay!