Guest guest Posted August 31, 2001 Report Share Posted August 31, 2001 I posted yesterday but never saw the email so maybe it didn't go through. Here's what happened: I went to my PCP yesterday. I gave him a letter I wrote to him requesting the DS and why. I also gave him a copy of Hull's Aetna letter (after taking out all of the Aetna references). My doc wasn't as enthusiastic as he was the last time I saw him. Why do I have a feeling he just wants me to accept the RNY and hush up? Maybe it's because he told me not to be influenced by all of the people who have had DS - after all, why would they say the DS was bad? Or that he said alot of people have had the DNY - it can't be THAT bad of a surgery. I stayed calm and explained that alot of people don't know about the RNY and I've heard alot of complaints from RNYers - not DSers. (Has anyone here EVER said they regret the DS Surgery????) I told him I didn't want to have my stomach carved up, drink Meat Tenderizer and go through the recovery only to regain within 5 years. He did say perhaps I should see a certain endocrinologist who has a liquid diet program. At that point, I nearly did lose it. I told him I did the liquid diet and lost my gall bladder. No thank you. Someday I'd have to eat again and I'd just regain. He did finally agree to write the letter. I hope he does it soon. It took nearly a month to write the Letter of Medical Necessity. (BTW, I took a peak at it and it's two paragraphs long... it said I have (conditions listed) and to see my first letter I'd written to him requesting surgery. Next paragraph says he agrees I need the surgery.) I hope he writes a convincing letter for the DS! Today, I went to the PCP again and gave him copies of a screenshot showing Dr Rabkin's address, phone number and hospital address. I also included a few emails that I had received from people saying they had Pacificare and had the DS. (I deleted names). So now I wait again. PLEASEEEEEEE, I hope Pacificare/Marin IPA approve me! Also, I have an off-topic (I think) question. My friend who is also overweight went to her doc and he said she has something like Pickwickan Syndrome or Pickwickian something. She said her brain shorted out after that and she has no idea what it is. I did a search and can't find out any info. Can someone please help? Thanks! ===== Dee Waiting for Ins. Co. Approval 313/Want to be 165 __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 31, 2001 Report Share Posted August 31, 2001 > Also, I have an off-topic (I think) question. My > friend who is also overweight went to her doc and he > said she has something like Pickwickan Syndrome or > Pickwickian something. She said her brain shorted out > after that and she has no idea what it is. I did a > search and can't find out any info. Can someone > please help? Thanks! Dee, good luck with your insurance issues! What a pain! Regarding " Pickwickian Syndrome " - this is a rather derogatory term for " obesity hypoventilation syndrome. " Its eponym came from (I think - someone please correct me if I'm wrong on the author) a Dickinson story that has a fat character named Pickwick who falls asleep all the time. Basically, it's not obstructive sleep apnea, although it's often related and many people who have the hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) also have apnea. Also, symptoms of daytime sleepiness can also be associated with both disorders. They can be difficult disorders to separate out! While not completely understood, the OHS is felt to stem from a heavy chestwall weight, preventing full inspiration and expansion of the lungs. Chronically, it can lead to hypoxia (not enough oxygen reaching the blood). It can also lead to carbon dioxide retention as well, and the combination of these two can lead to sleepiness, mental confusion and cloudiness. Treatments include treatment for apnea, if present, sometimes low-level oxygen during the day, weight loss, exercise of chest muscles and increasing inspiratory strength. Sleeping on the sides can help sometimes. There are some medicines that help as well. Take all this with a grain of salt. Just ramblings from a stranger on the internet.... - SC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 31, 2001 Report Share Posted August 31, 2001 OMG, I liked the sleep apnea answer earlier! When she told me about the Pickwickan thing, the first thing I thought of was Dickins. Wow. Thank you so much for the info! dee --- DrSCB wrote: > > Also, I have an off-topic (I think) question. My > > friend who is also overweight went to her doc and > he > > said she has something like Pickwickan Syndrome or > > Pickwickian something. She said her brain shorted > out > > after that and she has no idea what it is. I did > a > > search and can't find out any info. Can someone > > please help? Thanks! > > Dee, good luck with your insurance issues! What a > pain! > > Regarding " Pickwickian Syndrome " - this is a rather > derogatory term for > " obesity hypoventilation syndrome. " Its eponym came > from (I think - someone > please correct me if I'm wrong on the author) a > Dickinson story that has a > fat character named Pickwick who falls asleep all > the time. > > Basically, it's not obstructive sleep apnea, > although it's often related and > many people who have the hypoventilation syndrome > (OHS) also have apnea. > Also, symptoms of daytime sleepiness can also be > associated with both > disorders. They can be difficult disorders to > separate out! While not > completely understood, the OHS is felt to stem from > a heavy chestwall > weight, preventing full inspiration and expansion of > the lungs. Chronically, > it can lead to hypoxia (not enough oxygen reaching > the blood). It can also > lead to carbon dioxide retention as well, and the > combination of these two > can lead to sleepiness, mental confusion and > cloudiness. Treatments include > treatment for apnea, if present, sometimes low-level > oxygen during the day, > weight loss, exercise of chest muscles and > increasing inspiratory strength. > Sleeping on the sides can help sometimes. There are > some medicines that help > as well. > > Take all this with a grain of salt. Just ramblings > from a stranger on the > internet.... > > - SC > > > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 31, 2001 Report Share Posted August 31, 2001 > OMG, I liked the sleep apnea answer earlier! When she > told me about the Pickwickan thing, the first thing I > thought of was Dickins. Wow. > Thank you so much for the info! > dee > YES! Dickens! That's who I meant to say, sorry. - SC > > > Also, I have an off-topic (I think) question. My > > > friend who is also overweight went to her doc and he > > > said she has something like Pickwickan Syndrome or > > > Pickwickian something. She said her brain shorted out > > > after that and she has no idea what it is. I did a > > > search and can't find out any info. Can someone > > > please help? Thanks! > > Dee, good luck with your insurance issues! What a > > pain! > > > > Regarding " Pickwickian Syndrome " - this is a rather > > derogatory term for > > " obesity hypoventilation syndrome. " Its eponym came > > from (I think - someone > > please correct me if I'm wrong on the author) a > > Dickinson story that has a > > fat character named Pickwick who falls asleep all > > the time. > > > > Basically, it's not obstructive sleep apnea, > > although it's often related and > > many people who have the hypoventilation syndrome > > (OHS) also have apnea. > > Also, symptoms of daytime sleepiness can also be > > associated with both > > disorders. They can be difficult disorders to > > separate out! While not > > completely understood, the OHS is felt to stem from > > a heavy chestwall > > weight, preventing full inspiration and expansion of > > the lungs. Chronically, > > it can lead to hypoxia (not enough oxygen reaching > > the blood). It can also > > lead to carbon dioxide retention as well, and the > > combination of these two > > can lead to sleepiness, mental confusion and > > cloudiness. Treatments include > > treatment for apnea, if present, sometimes low-level > > oxygen during the day, > > weight loss, exercise of chest muscles and > > increasing inspiratory strength. > > Sleeping on the sides can help sometimes. There are > > some medicines that help > > as well. > > > > Take all this with a grain of salt. Just ramblings > > from a stranger on the > > internet.... > > > > - SC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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