Re: Question for Chris Hull-Common Channel

[Guest guest]

K.C.,

I would be very concerned about a surgeon the routinely uses 50cm.

Does he vary the gastric volume or use a fixed volume? The side

effects (including protien malnutriton) are more severe when 50cm is

routinely used. If your overall intestines are very short, 50cm

might be OK.

Given your problems with Aetna, consider flying to LA and have Dr.

Anthone do your surgery. Dr. Anthone knows how to write things up to

get approval in ways that many other surgeons don't. If you have the

Aetna PPO you should be able to get at least partial approval. If

you have the HMO then it is another matter entirely.

I was not really concerned about addiction to the pain meds, but my

wife really was concerned for me. Her philosophy is to tough out the

pain and not take the meds unless absolutely necessary. I prefer to

feel as comfortable as possible so I will pop the meds if they help.

I am sure I could have survived without them, but the last couple of

weeks would have been less pleasant.

Some don't like the side effects of the meds. I was not bothered by

the side effects. It is just an individual thing. However, I don't

feel that there was anything wrong with using the meds for their

intended purpose.

Hull

> Hi and group,

> I don't know if you are actually up for any questions,

but here

> goes....

> You have shared a wealth of information with the group...I am so

> grateful for your willingness to share all that you know about the

BPD-DS.

> I am wondering if you might be willing to share an opinion with me

about the

> common channel. I read your note to the group about your common

channel

> being 110 cm. I was kinda surprised by the length of your common

> channel.....I also became rather nervous about the length that my

surgeon

> plans to make my common channel....50 cm. My surgeon makes the

length of

> the common channel the same for all of his patients. In the report

that you

> wrote to Aetna, I believe that you talked about how most surgeons

were

> making the common channel longer than 50 cm in order to avoid

complications.

> Any thoughts on my surgeons practices?

> Also, any word from Aetna? I may have mentioned that I was

approved for

> the RNY, but denied twice for DS. I have sent in my third appeal

(I am on

> COBRA). We would be willing to pay for a portion of the DS, such

as you

> are, but we are wondering about how we may go about making the same

kind of

> deal. I suppose that I am just spinning my wheels. I guess that I

would be

> just as smart to wait to see if my husbands new insurance company

(Medica)

> will cover the DS. We see that they have approved it for a few

> patients....we hope to receive a similar approval. We start the new

> coverage on Dec. 1. I guess that I should be patient, but I'm

getting

> rather frustrated. I have been investigating WLS surgery for

almost a

> year.....I would really like to take some action sometime soon.

> do you have any personal concerns about becoming

addicted to your

> painkillers. My husband is worried about my becoming addicted to

> painkillers when the time comes. Any thoughts?

> Thanks again for your willingness to share all that you

know.....you

> have been a terrific resource!

>

> K.C.