JamieNP

Zeama, How did your surgery go? How are you feeling. Where did Dr. Steely place your port. Any advice you can give?? Thanks!! and Congrats!:thumbup:

I believe people under 400 lbs should not get the surgery. They should just diet and exercise. Now, lets take a poll on it. Can you see how some people are upset by this poll? (By the way, the above statement really is not my belief.)

My pcm put the referral in on Monday and Today the Tricare site says the following. Does that mean my surgery has been approved?? I meet with the surgeon on Friday for the first time. Office consultation 1 unit Medical care skilled nursing office/OP visit 5 units

Even though SOME united policies cover the lap band, yours may not. It may be a clause that your employer put in the contract. For instance, Humana is my primary insurance. Some people here have had Humana cover their procedures, but because my company (a hospital!) did not put it in their contract, it will not cover my procedure. You can always call back and check again. They may have changed their policy.

Ah, thanks, missed that

I am so sorry about the loss of your little baby. We just lost our 1 year old lab when she ran out in front of a car (she NEVER went near the road before!) My husband has PTSD and got her after his return from Iraq...she was a life saver to him and she went EVERYWHERE with him. He had such a hard time after she was killed. The kids and I discussed it and MADE him go look at shelter dogs. We thought it would be best for him to get one because of his depression...we now have 2 new babies!! They will never take the place of Chloe, but at least we know that they needed him as much as he need them.

:whatchutalkingaboutPut the knife away and take a deep breath. Talk with the person that you are having an issue with and just ask them if they are going to hire you full time, or if not, why? If they say that it is because you are going to have surgery, well, that is discriminating. You could always find a new job, sounds like this is not a company I would want to work for...just tell them you need some time off for a "commitment" and don't mention surgery

You could contact your new doctor's office and sign papers so that your records and the card get transferred to his office before your appointment. That should be part of your medical record. If the old doc does not send it to your new doc, you may be able to contact your new doc, or the manufacturer to find out how to get another card.

Ah..yes, college is where I gained all of my weight. Well, if you have insurance, call and ask them if they cover weight loss surgery. If so, what are the requirements. Do you have any comorbidities? (like high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, etc?) You could also pay out of pocket. Many people here go to Mexico and have the procedure done for half the price. Good luck to you!

I had a complete abdominal hysterectomy at age 40. I have never felt better! The worst part was that my belly overlapped my incision, so I would take surgical tape and tape up my tummy so I wouldn't put so my pressure on the incision. Good luck!

I was worried about getting a referral also. I had to use a new PCM because my original doc was not in network with my secondary insurance (my primary doesn't cover the surgery). So I had to go to a physician that didn't know me. And, my BMI is borderline (about 36). But I have high blood pressure and sleep apnea. I typed out my medications and medical history. I listed my family history. I also listed every diet I ever tried (I know I forgot a few). I cut and pasted what my insurance requirements were, and I also put in there the height and weight chart that they go by. This doctor thanked me, and then wrote the referral! He did the blood work and ekg in the office. I have my appointment this week with the surgeon and hopefully my insurance will cover the procedure!

Among the other things listed, it could be due to allergies/sinus issues (esp since you mentioned something about it) Your uvula (the little dangling thing in the back of your throat) could be enlarged/irritated. When you sleep, the muscles in the back of your throat relax and it can cause you to feel like you are choking. Many people that have obstructive sleep apnea have this issue. Glad you are going to the doc on Wed! Good luck!

Zeama, When is your surgery and who are you seeing? I have my appointment with Steely on Friday July 11th!

If you need a doctor in Nashville, there are plenty of patients here that have Nashville docs. Mine is in Clarksville, and that would be an extra hours drive for you. Good luck, and keep us updated on how it goes. Your experience will help others!!

Remember, this doctor works for YOU. You don't work for him. Fibromyalgia has nothing to do with how many times it takes them to stick you and miss. If they have this much trouble, they should have been numbing you with lidocaine. I used to be like you and "non confrontational" with doctors. But I am now a nurse, and I have no problem firing a doctor if I feel he does not have my best interest in mind. I would get a copy of your medical records this week and doctor shop. You should be able to find another doctor there in Knoxville that will do your fills. Or you could make the drive to Nashville. Good luck to you.

You may consider filing a complaint to the board of Medicine. From "CouncilA Guide toEthical Conductand Behaviour" 3.2 Dignity of the Patient Patients must always be treated with dignity and respect. Rude and insensitive behaviour towards patients or their relatives is unacceptable.

the insomnia could be linked to sleep apnea. You could have an airway obstruction and when your muscles in the back of your throat relax, it wakes you out of your sleep cycle. You feel like you can't fall asleep, but then you are tired all day long. Each insurance company is different. Sounds to me like you have several comorbidities, so your insurance will look at that. Most of the ones you have are obesity related. Research shows that a majority of patients are able to come off of their insulin/diabetes medications and HTN meds after weight loss surgery, therefore decreasing the risk of heart disease.

HTN=hypertension...sorry, I am a nurse and use medical lingo. I have not heard about insomnia. If you snore loudly, chances are you have some degree of sleep apnea. If you have painful weight bearing joints, like knees, it should be stressed to the physician for insurance purposes also.

You will go to the hospital's sleep study clinic about 9 pm. They will hook you up to EKG monitors, O2 saturation monitors, EEG monitors and then they will watch you sleep. Call your physician that ordered it if you can get some Ambien to take before you go, as I was not able to sleep well my first night. You will also wear a monitor around your nose and mouth to measure how bad you snore. When you wake up in the morning you will want to take a shower, as all of the EEG monitor leads are basically "glued" to your scalp. Then you leave. The results take about a week. If you have sleep issues, you will return for another study, with a CPAP or BiPAP machine. They will basically do the same kind of monitoring, but will tweak the machine while you sleep (by remote control) so that you have enough positive airway pressure to keep your airway open. Personally, I have never slept better. The mask (I use the nose mask) can be uncomfortable and takes awhile to get used to, but I have yet to sleep with out it. Good luck!

That is done in the hospital.

I have a BMI around 35. I will be meeting with the surgeon this week and will find out if my insurance will pay for my surgery. My insurance is TRICARE and the requirements are to be 100 lbs over weight with one comorbidity (I have HTN and Sleep Apnea)..I am about 95 lbs over. I have been trying to gain weight this week so there won't be a problem...and I have LOST 3 lbs!!! Anyway, I am hoping I can get this done soon. Good luck to you all! :thumbup:

Not sure, call them and ask...and please post (I am a tricare pt too)

Maybe I can help you understand why a person 200 lbs may want to have lap band surgery. I am at 220. I have hypertension and sleep apnea. My mother and father are diabetic and my father has had an Myocardial infarction. I have spent THOUSANDS of dollars in weight loss products...phenfen, phentermine, dexatrim, alli (xenical) etc etc. I have a membership to the YMCA AND Curves. I have painful joints and my doctor says I need to lose weight. I don't want to wait until I weigh 250, 300, 400 and end up having a stroke, becoming diabetic, having peripheral neuropathy, cellulitis, diabetic foot ulcers, coronary artery disease, a myocardial infarction...or dead! You don't see many 200+ 90 year olds running around. It is like saying "I don't know why anyone under 300 lbs would want to have surgery". If my doctor/surgeon thinks I should have it, then I guess your opinion doesn't really matter.

Couch to 5K is a great program! My friend and I did it several years ago through a running club here in town. Unfortunately because of my weight, my knees were killing me! Hopefully when I get the weight down I can try again!:wink_smile:

I'm a critical care nurse in Nashville, TN.