ssflbelle

Thanks FluffyChix for the support and encouragement. I don't mind at all if you follow me. If my posting helps just one person it was worth it to me.

I think I kind of know how you feel. I was 60 in Jan 2016 when I had my sleeve, hernia repair and gallbladder out all on the same day. I had never had any kind of surgery in my life so I was extremely nervous and anxious. However, I also knew with all that was wrong with me if I didn't have these surgeries I would not have much of a life left to enjoy. It was the best thing I ever did for myself. Just 18 days ago I had my second surgery which was excess skin removal from my huge sagging deflated breasts and a free nipple graft. The second best surgery of my life. Because of all the weight I have lost I will need 3 more excess skin removal surgeries provided insurance pays for them. When all is said and done I will be a new woman and you will be too. It will be a challenge but if I could do it I know you can too. You will feel so much better and have a happier life. Send me an email if you want me as a friend. I am willing to help you with moral support and encouragement.

When I had my sleeve the Doctor also did a hernia repair and removed my diseased gallbladder. My hernia has come back but it is not causing me any pain. I am 34 pounds from my goal and had the 1st of 4 skin removal surgeries. I am hoping with this 1st skin removal surgery it will help me be able to exercise more so I can get to goal soon so I can have the 2nd skin removal surgery and the hernia could be repaired at that time. . However since I do have the hernia the thought has crossed my mind that if I can't get to goal I could try for a revised sleeve at the time of the second hernia repair.

If your Doctor is going to be in there anyhow and the tests show your sleeve needs to be revised If it was me I would do it.

Getting delayed can be very frustrating. My 1st plastic surgery in March was canceled. I too had everything planned out at work as I am a teacher. We switched all the clients over to another teacher at the Center and the following week I was back at work. Three months later we had to do it all again but thank goodness this time it wasn't canceled. I had my surgery June 26th and am home recovering. I hope today Friday they were able to give you the info you wanted and everything works out well for you. Good luck keep us posted.

Yes I too noticed very few start with the initial consultation date. However my blog dates back to 2008 when I first got Medicare and tried to get the lapband. If your interested in my journey to walk again here is my blog.

http://www.bariatricpal.com/blog/1683-welcome-to-my-journey-toward-being-able-to-walk-again/?st=10

Please leave a comment at the last posting if you read it. Good luck on your journey I will be following your blog.

So glad you were able to self pay and will be getting your surgery without jumping through all the hoops. Unfortunately being on disability I had to go the insurance route. Yesterday I finally got my date for surgery. Jan 26th. Nothing better stop this from happening now that I have a date. Good luck with yours whenever it is.

WOW! What an inspiration you are. Doing those pull ups and lifting your body weight that you lost in 1 year is remarkable. You look so different and getting down to the point where you can wear clothing in the 1X to 2X range is so exciting.

I have lost a huge amount (over 160 pounds) on my own over many many years, but now I am waiting for the WLS to help me with losing the rest and being able to walk again. I checked the friends block so I can follow your progress. Keep going strong and you will get to that goal!

Lisa I am so sorry this happened to you, yet I am not. I hope you understand where I am coming from as it sounds like he was not for you. I know you are in emotional pain yet I hear you still have hope. Good for you! That is the way it should be hope and plan for the future. These painful feelings you have now will pass in time.

I also believe good things come to those who wait and that when one door closes bigger and better doors open up. I too will never give up on finding love and losing weight. Don't you ever give up either.

After waiting for 6 weeks I finally saw the Surgeon on July 22nd. He felt I would be a godd candidate for the Lapband. He wants me to take 2 Nutrition classes, get a Psychological Evaluation, a cardiac evaluation (I have no heart problems so not sure why) and bloodwork done. He also wants me to get with my PCP and find something other than Voltaren to take for the pain. Plus I need to get with the Pain management Dr to get off of Lyrica. It seems the Lyrica causes weight gain.

I already had the Psychological Evaluation this week. Next Monday I can get the blood work done and Thursday will be the first Nutrition class. I will need to call for a Cardiac evaluation and schedule the 2nd nutrition class. When the Surgeon's office has all the evaluations I will be able to see him again, get a surgery date, final insurance approval and attend the preop class. When I asked how many more weeks he stated about 6 to 8 weeks. So we are looking at a possible Sept surgery date.

In the mean time on July 17th I had three Thoracic Facet Joint Injections in my spine and have been finally able to do things for the first time in over 10 years. I still have some pain but not the knife stabbing, take away my breath kind of pain. I am walking about 6 to 9 minutes with 2 canes where as before I could barely walk 1 to 2 minutes. Instead of rolling around on the desk chair in the house I am now walking. I have been swimming and in the hot tub as I can finally lift my leg high enough to get up the stairs. I have taken day trips down to Fort Lauderdale and loving every minute of the drive. I am finally living and not just existing. I just hope and pray the pain does not come back as I will be even more depressed and upset if it does.

Till next time have a great journey!

I started this WLS process as soon as I became eligible for Medicare in May of 2008. I got a list of Lapband Doctors in South East Florida and the first Dr I contacted was on my plan but the hospital was not a Center of Excellence. Medicare demands that this surgery been done in such a hospital. Ok, so I kept looking, found a hospital they would approve but the Dr is not on the plan. There doesn't seem to be any Dr and hospital in my County that meets Medicares approval. Thank goodness for that Lapband list, as I used it to search for Doctors listed and where these Doctors performed the surgery.

Over Memorial weekend I finally found Dr. Bass and The Regional Memorial Hospital in Hollywood, which is a Center of Excellence. I was able to not only register on line but I filled out a 9 page profile. Two days later Tiffany (Co-ordinator) called me. She got the profile and told me about a information seminar on Thursday I needed to attend. Great the ball is rolling. So come Thursday I get in the van and head down to Hollywood but never made it there. About 30 minutes into the trip I developed van trouble Being handicapped and traveling alone I couldn't take the chance that something would happen even further away from home so I turned around and headed back home. The next day I called Tiffany and told her of my van troubles. No problem she would get Cindy to send me 5 on line videos I needed to watch and when I did let her know. Well I did watch those and have finally been given my first consultation visit with the Dr. for July 22nd. In the mean time Tiffany sent me a sample of the medically necessary letter to give to my Doctors.

Dr. Alshon was not willing to write me a letter of medically necessary even though he had a sample letter with all the things he didn't know about me filled in. I find it extremely odd that he would not do this.:cool: During my first visit with him for pain management of my back, hip and shoulder he commented "NO Dr. would touch you for surgery on your hip, have you thought about WLS". during the second visit when I asked him to write this letter, He said " I don't have the time, you are here for pain management so let's deal with that." However he did send down a prescription for WLS. Never heard of that being done and I guess Dr. Bass will submit that to insurance.

Dr. Rogovin my PCP is more than willing to write a letter of medically necessary. :biggrin2: I suppose that is because he has seen how I have struggled over the last 14 years with all my problems and he had mentioned WLS many times but my insurance would not allow it at the time.

So now I sit and wait until July 22nd. I suppose that will be he next post I write. Till than Have a Happy Journey Everyone!