Question for Chris Hull-Common Channel

[Guest guest]

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.