Re: update - very long

[Guest guest]

Well, folks, I am going to my consult with Dr. Hess on Monday. Since I

read so much about having to quit smoking before surgery, I bit the bullet

last Monday and started in with the patch. I am also using the gum as a

back-up for the times I just get such withdrawal symptoms I really have to

talk to myself. (yeah, you're not supposed to use both, but its better than

smoking a cigarette and using the patch) Yesterday was the hardest day so far

and took a lot to get me through it without smoking " just one " . I hope I can

stick with this.

I also went to see my new PCP yesterday. I loved this guy. I found him

by going on the OSSG list and others and asking if anyone knew of a wls

friendly Dr. close to where I live (east side of Cleve, OH area) and some

wonderful soul told me about him, that she had gotten wls and he was very

supportive. I called him before I even had my insurance just to check that

he did feel ok about wls and he said as long as I knew what I was getting

into and met the criteria, he had no problem with giving me a referral. I

told him I wanted DS (back when I talked to him on the phone) and he said he

hadn't heard of that.

Well, since this list informed me that I could write for my medical

records from previous Drs, I did and took those with me to see him. I made

up a notebook of DS information - Hull's letter, Hess Brochure, Hess

Medical Study, WebMD interview with Anthone, pictures of the DS, the letter

to fellow Drs. found on one of the surgeon's websites (forget his name, he is

in CA), etc. I took it to my PCP and he was impressed, I could tell, with me

showing up with previous medical records and all the info on DS. He asked

me if I had tried regular dieting - tada! I pulled out my diet history

showing 25 major diets I could come up with. (Made me cry the day I finished

it and even sometimes now when I talk about it, I cry - didn't realize how

obsessed my whole life has been with weight loss or how really hard I have

tried).

Anyway, he agreed with me that I could benefit from wls, since I have

borderline high blood pressure and he saw in my records that I had high

cholesterol (records included blood test results). He said he has about 3

patients who have had it and it works. Now, I know his patients have had

RNY, since that is all we have locally. Anyway,. he took my notebook (which

I made " for him to keep " ) and said he will read up on the DS. He asked why I

wasn't wanting to go to a local surgeon and I told him it was because no

surgeons in the Cleve area do DS. He was going to give me a referral and

told me to go to the woman by the desk who does referrals. Well, when I went

to her, she said my ins didn't require a referral (that is what my ins said,

but I wanted to cover my bases, still) and refused even to do a letter (why

are the women who work behind Drs desks usually such bitches?) but the Dr.

was still there and he wrote me a referral on his prescription pad, so at

least I have that to show that he was in favor of it. I guess I don't need

one, but I don't want any last minute problems from my insurance just to

stall things, since another woman who had my ins said they told her the same

thing about not needing a referral and then denied her until she could get

one).

So - this is just an update of my progress so far. I am still nervous

about my ins giving me a hard time. They have a pre-existing clause, but

when I called, I was told it was for a pre-existing chronic condition for

which I received treatment in the previous 6 mos before I signed on with

them. I was on no medication for anything the previous 6 mos and did not see

any Drs except when I had bronchitis in April and she said they would cover

that, since it wasn't chronic. If I had high blood pressure and was taking

meds (which I don't have to) and had diabetis, they wouldn't cover that. So

I am hoping they don't consider MO a chronic condition and make me wait a

year.............

Oh yeah, you have to weight twice your ideal weight to qualify for wls

and I do know they cover DS, since Dr. Hess has gotten patients approved

through them. I gained 9 lbs since April and I was GLAD! For the first

time, I was GLAD to see that number, cause I figured it would help me get

wls!!

My PCP said I could benefit from wls because even tho I was healthy now,

I was just starting to suffer from obesity related medical disorders. He

also said he wanted to see me 3 weeks after I had this surgery, just to make

sure I was ok.

I must REALLY want this, as it is the first thing that has given me

reason to work hard to quit smoking in 20 years!

Sorry to be so long-winded.

Carole

[Guest guest]

Congratulations, Carole for so many bold and courageous things you

have just done: your smoking cessation, your dealings with the new

PCP, your handling of the insurance preliminaries, etc. You are on

your way! Best of luck!!

By the way, I have lost only 68 pounds, and I am on a plateau yet

again--they can be very discouraging. About 90 pounds more to goal.

But, already, I have stopped taking Lipitor (cholesterol control),

Prilosec (acid reflux), and am being weaned off the diuretic (fluids

retention) and beta blocker (cardiac arrhythmia). My leg doesn't

swell up any more; my knees no longer pain me, and I can climb stairs

without seeing a curtain of stars. Plus, my trouser size has gone

down from 58 to 48.

So, keep being courageous and an active advocate for your own health.

It is worth it.

--Steve

--

Steve Goldstein, age 61

Lap BPD/DS on May 2, 2001

Dr. Elariny, INOVA Fairfax Hospital, Virginia

Starting (05/02/01) BMI = 51

BMI on 10/06 = 40 (-68 lb.)

[Guest guest]

As for the smoking, you are so brave! I haven't

stopped yet. I'm going to smoke what I have in the

house and that is IT. Soon, I will really be able to

commiserate with you. I'm scared! I've never tried

to stop smoking in my entire life.

Giving up smoking isn't easy, but if you are really motivated it's possible.

I gave them up when I became pregnant years ago.

Now my new DH of 8 years finally gave them up. I've been trying to get him

to quit since we met. He had made many promises to me, but the cigarettes

always won. He decided to go for his DS and saw Dr. Macura the beginning of

Sept. Dr. Macura insists that any smoker quits at least 6 weeks before the

operation. After seeing cardiac and neurologist doctors to get their OK, my

DH cut down 50% on his smoking and a week later stopped completely. He has

been smoke free for 6 weeks now. I am very proud of him. I think that

seeing me lost the weight has really motivated him. He wants to be as

healthy as possible as he goes in for the DS. He has a BUNCH of

co-morbidity's diabetes, cardiac problems. cancer survivor, mini-strokes,

HBP, and sleep apnea, so he needs as much help as he can get.

Rita Black

Open DS, Dr. Macura

4/23/01 400 lbs, BMI 63

5/1/01 391 lbs, BMI 61

5/22/01 368 lbs, BMI 58

6/21/01 350 lbs, BMI 55

7/31/01 328 lbs, BMI 51

5/22/01 368 lbs, BMI 58

6/21/01 360 lbs, BMI 55

7/31/01 328 lbs, BMI 51

8/23/01 320 lbs, BMI 50

9/25/01 306 lbs. BMI 48