Dody

Does anyone else have pain in their feet when walking? I didn't used to have painful feet until I gained weight. They simply hurt from top to bottom when I'm walking and if I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom I have all I can do just to get them to move very painfully. I don't hear many people mention their feet, so perhaps this isn't a major problem for lots of you. I went to Walmart today to get groceries and I have the sorest dogone feet you can even imagine. I didn't think I was going to get all my groceries in the house. Anyone else have problems??? I've seen foot doctors in the past and had shots in them that really didn't last long. I have a neuroma in the sole of one foot, but that has been there a long time (surgically removed twice and came back), but my feet hurt ALL over and I mean from top to bottom. Is is weight? Do you think the lap banding will cure the problem? I always wear really good walking shoes, but nothing helps. My poor dog hasen't had a good walk in so long he forgets what it's like and I feel so guilty but I just can't go around the block with him. My heart dr. asks me how I am when I see him and I just tell him my feet hurt...he just laughs and says "not my speciality". Aside from my feet I don't suffer from any other problems that seem to disable me.

I was told to bring any medications I take before bedtime and take them as I normally would. What would be the point in running a test without them, when I would be using them at home. They also told me to feel free to take my Xanax. No one ever mentioned my test results would not come out right, and in fact I'm on 14 cm of C-pap and doing great on it. I wouldn't be without it. Someone has you misinformed. You should take your normal meds.

Although Lamisil is labeled as an anti-fungal and good for things like athletete's feet it is excellent for skin rashes and yeast rashes also. It also takes all the itching away, which I've never found Benadryl to do.

When I went for my sleep study there was a young woman in the next room. She had brought her hubby with her as she was scared. They brought in a cot and let him sleep in there with her. I'm sure that made her feel much better. Saw her the next morning in the elevator and she said she had slept wonderfully. That made two of us. Not sure, but I never had these oxygen prongs in my nose at any time....all hospitals must do it a little differently. If you are truly worried ask if you can bring a family member or your hubby or significant other. You have to make sure that you are tired and no nap that day and will fall asleep though...or the nurses will probably make them leave. Good luck to you. Hospital do must everything to accommodate people these days. There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of.

This new ruling by Medicare is just one roadblock, but we can and will get around it with perseverence and God's help. Stay strong and find that hospital. There are many of them. It's just a matter of if they take Medicare or not. Good luck to you.

I should be a commercial for Lamisil. I think it is the best thing for rashes and itching since sliced bread. You can get over the counter prescription strength, and I will vouch IT IS AWESOME. It is one thing I am NEVER without in the house. This is a cream. I worry a little about Benadryl...I think it's over-rated and it also can make a person tired, unlike Lamisil which will get rid of the itch and clear it up altogether. Give it a try.

Hey Susan we probably went to the same counselor, because I went over in Meridian....corner of Eagle Road and I think Franklin I think. I've already forgotten the guy's name, but I took a lot of computer tests....yawn. I guess I said and did all the right things because he wrote my physican a glowing letter recommending me for the surgery. He was a nice guy. We talked about kids, dogs, you name it. He made me feel right at home. I was leary of going, but I truly liked the guy, especially since he passed me

They are supposed to be listed at Obesity.com, but I got my info from my daughter who is in Tennessee. There is going to be a huge shortage of lap banding for Medicare patients with this new rule. If you don't get into a state of the art hospital Medicare won't pay a dime. If Obesity.com doesn't list them I would run a google on Center of Excellence or State of Excellence Hospitals and see what I came up with. I'm just lucky I have a very persistent daughter.

Susan wouldn't let me piggy back on her I should have asked you. Packing me around would surely drop the pounds. Thanks for the well wishes.

You refused me a piggy back ride, therefore, no new car for you. See what happens when you aren't kind and generous

I suffer from panic attacks and was allowed to take my Xanax. They told me it wouldn't affect the reading one way or the other, and it would be much easier to deal with then a panic attack. My study was done in two parts. One night I got all fixed up with all the gooey stuff and wires and slept without C-pap. I didn't think I would be able to sleep either, but I did. My room looked like a hotel room...TV and all. I went back a week later because I had severe sleep apnea and sleap all night on C-pap. Just the thought of having something over my nose grossed me out, but I took to it like a duck to Water and now I can't sleep without my C-pap (even for a nap). Talking with it on is impossible (you sound very much like Donald Duck on helium) and it scares my dog to death....I hope you have a great experience and ask your hospital, they may allow you something to relax you. Don't worry...all will turn out fine. It's a walk in the park.

After my depression and stress of yesterday finding out my surgery was postponed because of Medicare's new rules I decided to pay for it myself. I really didn't feel I should have too, because I am covered, but such is life. Just when I had resigned myself to the fact I'm doing this for me and paying for it, my daughter calls with the news that she has contacted Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville (which is a Center Of Excellence) and arranged a seminar and meeting with a lap-banding surgeon on Apr. 25 and 26 for me...seminar on the 25. What a kid...she knows all the right people, but then she is a nurse herself. They accept Medicare and I have all my paperwork so they called me today and said "come on down". I'm so thrilled just thinking Vanderbilt...like this is state of the art and more. God always comes through in some way, shape or form if you pray enough, and no one will ever tell me any different. Last night I just handed the whole mess to him and told him it's in your hands now, and today a wonderful phone call from a great hospital (one of the top 10 in the world) and once again my hopes are up. I can afford the surgery, but I could also do so much for my kids with the money if I didn't have to pay for it. One of my daughter's badly needs a second car and I'd love to get her one. Fortunately, she isn't proud she will gladly accept it. I would love to put more in my grandkid's college funds and lots of other things. I felt very selfish paying for a surgery for myself when there was so much else I could do with the money. God works in mysterious ways. You just need to have faith that he will come through for you. Today is much brighter. Dody

You are a very special person to want to do this for your Mom. I hope she knows how truly blessed she is to have a daughter like you. On the flip-side I kind of know how she would feel. I would not let my daughter pay for my surgery (but that is because I can afford it myself) so I'm between a rock and a hard place on how you should handle this. If your mother is a proud person, this will be difficult for her, unless you find a way to make it seem not like "a gift", (although it's truly a gift of life). Wow, I have to think about this from a Mom's perspective and put myself in her shoes. If I couldn't afford the surgery, I'm not sure what I would do. I guess if my kids truly wouldn't miss the money I would consider it so I could be around longer and enjoy my grandchildren. That's my reason for having it done now. Gifting is a tough thing for those of us that are proud, and don't accept things readily. I think the best suggestion was don't tell her the cost at all, and just let her know it is out of love and the fact you want her around for a very long time. It seems like Mom is carrying a lot of baggage around as it is with guilt feelings. Let her know how much you love her and that this is a "gift for you and grandchildren" so that she will be in your life for a long time. You're a wonderful daughter.

I'm from Boise and wanted to say hi to you. I'm not having my surgery done here in Boise, but am going to Tennessee for it. I don't have much advice because I haven't even been banded yet, but wanted to say hi because we are from the same area.

Kevin's fan base is 12-year-old girls, which isn't all bad, because they are probably calling in fifty million times for him. That's why he's still there. I'm still shaking my head at Ace being in the bottom 3.....we need to be calling.

If you read through the threads (may take the better part of a day) you will have all the info you need from the people on here about erosion, slippage, etc. Just remember people come here for support. There are lots of happy bandsters out there that rarely show up here. We come here to learn from others and to give help if we can. I'm unable to help much because I'm not yet banded, but I won't change my mind for anything. For me this is the only option. I think people are OH SO TIRED of answering this same question over and over, so please...take a day or a week and just read everything on here. You will be so informed.

That conscious sedation is normally Versed. It is awesome...somewhat like two rum and cokes, but you say the durndest things!! Actually the shots are probably cortisone and they want to hit the right spot. They actually don't kick in for a couple days, and the day after you usually hurt worse than before, but when they kick in it's really, really nice. I would find out how often you need them, and I would be interested what disk it is. Some disks cause discomfort at times, but not all the time. Some disks cause permanent problems. At least they aren't trying to talk you into surgery, so I'm thinking it can't be that bad. Good luck.

Ace in the bottom 3....unimaginable. What are people thinking??

They make deliveries just about every day to me...from Northern Nights sheet sets (I'm spoiled) to anything and everything...just ordered 4 pairs of Birkies and 3 coats from Dennis Basso. I think they just get tired of coming here and my dog barks at them every time. Doesn't matter...I'm a QVC and HSN holic and never disappointed in what I get. They have some great stuff. As for Medicare. They are going to stop paying for the surgery at age 65. I thought I was in under the loop, but now they aren't paying anything unless you have a State Of Excellence Hospital perform the lap-banding. This consists of hospitals that have every facility available...open heart surgery etc. The dr's. at these hospitals in no way take Medicare patients, and I'm not about to wait for them to start. I hate the mess with the insurance companies too, but I'm just going to say the heck with it and pay for it. I don't have the time or the energy to mess with Medicare of all people. They aren't going to ever qualify a smaller hospital as State Of Excellence........just isn't going to happen in my lifetime. I'm just tired of the hassle and I've been fighting it for a year now, so it isn't like I just started this yesterday. I don't have the time to wait, and all my tests will expire and need to be done again, and the last thing I want is to go through all that again (especially the upper GI), so I'm just paying and they can kiss my big, shiny, white behind :hat:

I was having surgery around the end of April and found out today Medicare will now only pay for surgeries at State Of Excellence Hospitals. Most of these hospitals have surgeons who do not accept Medicare, so I wish you lots of luck in finding one. In order to qualify to be State Of Excellence you have to have a neonatal intensive care unit, perform open heart surgery, etc. This ruling just came out. I am now going self-pay. It just isn't worth the hassle, besides which the fact that by the time they get around to doing anything Medicare is passing a law you have to be under 65 to have the surgery done. Sorry I don't have better news for you. Just remember your dr. has to operate at a "super hospital" not just a good hospital.

You won't even give me a piggy back ride. Well, I guess you just aren't really a friend then. Just think of the weight you could drop lugging me around. The dr. would be amazed at you. I talked to my daughter tonight. I've just said "the heck with it" and told her I'm just going to come down there, enjoy my vacation and pay for the darned surgery. I'll be darned after everything I've been through if I'm not going through with this. It's also way cheaper in Tennessee. I think you have to go self-pay or face obstacles with insurance for who knows how long. I thought mine was a walk in the park until this....but they aren't going to make these smaller hospitals into State Of Excellence Hospitals...there isn't a chance. Bad luck for all the band and RNY docs too that do their surgeries there for Medicare patients.. Se La Vie (is that right)? Who cares. I'm past ticked off now and going to go and watch American Idol. Stress isn't my best thing to deal with...I've had enough of it up to this point, so this little set-back is not permanent. Here's hoping the dr. lives until I get there...that's about the only other thing that could go wrong unless someone hi-jacks my plane or something. That could be OK if they take me to Mexico...ROFLMAO. I'd rather not have the surgery in that case. I'm convinced there is a Mexican dr. in Caldwell doing lap banding in his kitchen as we speak (he just doesn't have a degree). I wonder if that durned Jack even knows we had a posse out looking for him.

I didn't go out and buy clothes today...was too busy making phone calls, but too late in the day to reach the hospital in Nashville. QVC delivered a whole bunch of stuff to me today (and the UPS man gave me his usual snarl) :hat: I'm thinking that Medicare is probably not going to change the policy on State Of Excellence Hospitals though. We have two of them in Boise (but St. Al's was NOT one before they added the maternity and NICU back) and now they are. All the other hospitals in Nampa and Caldwell are not State Of Excellence. They have to be performing heart surgeries and have neonatal intensive care units to qualify and how many small hospitals are going to add that...zippo. Anyway I was wondering if your back had room for one more on it. Seems your hubby is doing great un-banded. He must have terrific willpower. I just thought maybe if you packed me around too you would lose weight at 3 times the rate

You want him to go all the way...and my mind tells me you mean this in the purest form as in being the next American Idol :hat: Otherwise, I will have to e.mail Chris's wife and tell her you are totally into him. Wow, she sure is going to have her hands full if he wins...women love men that can sing!! Look at Clay Aiken, he's so homely he's cute and women just love him.

You are right, there is no point stressing over something I can't change. For now I'll wait until tomorrow and call Vanderbilt. My thoughts are...go self-pay and forgit about it, but then I think "why should I when I'm covered". I'm not sure what I'll end up doing. I hate to pay when I don't have too. Thanks for the reassurances. I guess I'll just go visit my daughter, enjoy, and what happens happens.....:hat:

Well, needless to say I'm still in a state of shock. I've had all my tests done and was leaving for Tennessee to have my surgery done when the Bariatric Center called me with the news that they got a letter from Medicare stating that "all bariatric surgeries must be performed at a state of excellence hospital". This means a big time hospital I'm assuming and the hospital I was going to was just a regular old hospital....nice but not state of the art. They can't do surgery there until Medicare inspects all these small hospitals that were doing the surgery and qualifies them. It could be weeks, months, or never knowing Medicare. After I paniced I called Vanderbilt in Nashville but the bariatric center is closed for the day...it's 5:00 p.m. there. I know they take Medicare but I'm thinking everyone who was lined up for surgery in the rest of Tennessee (with the exception of Memphis) is probably pounding at their door wanting their surgery. I am totally bummed. I have spent mo. getting rid of an ulcer and now another major setback. I'm unsure what to do at this point....by the time they get documentation all of my tests may be outdated and I don't want to go through all that again. Should I stay home, go to Tennessee and hope for the best, forget the whole thing (which is going to be difficult after all the work I've put into it) or just let things run it's course and hope they get qualified soon at the smaller hospitals? HELP!!