new to the list

[Guest guest]

Hi Audra:

Welcome! You've landed in a great place. How long it takes to put your packet

together depends entirely on you and the time you can devote to it. It's an

individual thing and you need to set aside a block of time to work on it.

>

> How long does it take to get the packet together and to be approved and then

> to have the surgery? Then once your packet is done and sent in, it is a

matter of a week or two until you are approved and have a surgery date.

>

> I have BCBS insurance. Does anyone have any experience with this insurance

> company? How much did you have to pay out of pocket?

This depends on your policy and which you have. I have federal bc and bs and

they paid everything. I think I had a $48 balance to the anesthesiologist. You

need to check your policy. Don't rely on what the office of bc and bs tell

you...they told me that my insurance wouldn't pay and in my contract it

specifically said that it WOULD pay.

>

> Has anyone had a baby post-op? And how did your pregnancy go and was the

> baby effected?

I'm 58 so this is not (Praise God) an issue for me. But Kathy Goodman is due any

day and there was at least one other healthy baby born after MGB. Check the

manual...I think Dr. R recommends waiting a specific lenght of time. le

had this surgery specifically in order to have a healthy baby..so it does not

preclude childbirth!

Again, welcome!

Flo in land

[Guest guest]

Audra,

Welcome....I am a preop still waiting approval. If I

were you I would go to Dr. R's website and start

getting everything together and scheduled while you

are waiting for insurance approval. Some of the

requirements are a little time consuming. You will

find help, information, caring, and friendship here

worth a million bucks!

Tired of Being Obese In Ohio

--- Audra Canfield wrote:

> Hello to all,

>

> HI! I am new to the list and am just starting to go

> forth on this journey.

> I am researching this procedure but have found by

> far that actual stories

> from the patients are the best source of info.

>

> I do have a few questions: (and probably more to

> follow)

>

> How long does it take to get the packet together and

> to be approved and then

> to have the surgery?

>

> I have BCBS insurance. Does anyone have any

> experience with this insurance

> company? How much did you have to pay out of

> pocket?

>

> Has anyone had a baby post-op? And how did your

> pregnancy go and was the

> baby effected?

>

> Thanks so much for helping me with these questions,

> have a great day,

> ;o)

> Audra

>

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>

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/23/2001 5:45:27 AM Central Standard Time, KLSMA@...

writes:

> I have my initial consult with Dr. Hess in Bowling Green next

> Thursday.

> I'm not sure how long it will take after that but from reading up on

> it I feel it will still be awhile before I actually have surgery.

>

,

It may or may not take a while. At the consult, they will probably give you

a surgery date that is waaaayyyy down the road (we refer to this as the freak

out date--LOL). Once you get insurance approval, they will move you up. Now

Dr. Hess goes away the month of Feb, so this could factor in. However, if

you are willing to have Dr. Oakley do your surgery, you could probably get in

quickly. So usually if your insurance approves quickly, you will get a date

fairly soon. I had a consult on 3/20/00, my insurance approved on 3/30/00,

and I had surgery on 4/27/00.

Dawn--South Suburban Chicago area

Dr. Hess, Bowling Green, OH

BPD/DS

4/27/00

www.duodenalswitch.com

267 to 165 5' 4 "

size 22 to size 10

have made size goal

no more high blood pressure, sore feet, or dieting

[Guest guest]

Hi Dawn thanks for replying to my post.

I'm not sure about having Dr. Oakley do the surgery.

I guess I was set on having Dr. Hess do it.

I suppose when I get the freak out date next week I will probably be

saying I don't want to wait soooooooooooo long.

I'm just excited that it looks like I finally will be able to do this.

I had considered surgery over ten years ago and it fell through due

to insurance and money issues.

I'm still not sure how I'm coming up with the money for this now

but like they say where there is a will there is a way.

I'm set on finding that way

thanks again

[Guest guest]

Welcome --

You have joined the melting pot of the DS. We have all had different

surgeons and different particulars of our surgery--but one thing is

that the DS is our lifsaver.

Ask what you need to--there is always someone to answear it. Happy

searching !!

Pammi

Spain 10/15/01

-30#'s

[Guest guest]

Welcome !

You'll find this list supportive, sometime very argumentative, but

never dull! There's great info available in the files. Be sure to

search them out.

Good luck,

P

post-op 05-30-01 lap-assisted DS

Dr. Kim, Ocean Springs, MS

down 85 lbs!

> Hi all my name is and I'm 39 years old

> I am in the researching phase I guess on surgery.

> I won't bore you with my dieting history but believe me I have

dieted

> I have changed my lifestyle and exercised forever

> to find myself at a nice weight of 312 pounds(maybe more you know

it

> was Thanksgiving yesterday) LOL

> I have my initial consult with Dr. Hess in Bowling Green next

> Thursday.

> I'm not sure how long it will take after that but from reading up

on

> it I feel it will still be awhile before I actually have surgery.

> I guess I'm scared of surgery as I've only had one gallbladder lap

> surgery done in my life.

> I feel I can make it though and feel this is what I need to get my

> life back once again.

> I want to be NORMAL

> well at least I want to feel normal

> =)

> Well enough from me for now

> just wanted to say hi and introduce myself as I'm sure on my road

to

> WLS I will be needing some friends to talk to who understand.(my

best

> friend at the time is very against me doing this and also my

husband

> is semi supportive so they don't want to really discuss things with

> me)

>

> take care all

>

>

[Guest guest]

Welcome

I am post-op (17 Dec 2001) and have been researching for 18 months (plus

waiting for my health insurance to kick in). I have found everyone here to

be a great source of information and personally I feel that BPD/DS is what I

am looking for. It is not for everyone but it is for me. Good luck in your

researching and I hope you find what you are looking for. Just remember that

no surgery is the answer, it always comes down to YOU (but surgery will damn

well help) hehehehehehehe.

Tracey

Brisbane Australia

Dr Fielding

post-op Dec 17, 2001

New to the list

Hi all my name is and I'm 39 years old

I am in the researching phase I guess on surgery.

I won't bore you with my dieting history but believe me I have dieted

I have changed my lifestyle and exercised forever

to find myself at a nice weight of 312 pounds(maybe more you know it

was Thanksgiving yesterday) LOL

I have my initial consult with Dr. Hess in Bowling Green next

Thursday.

I'm not sure how long it will take after that but from reading up on

it I feel it will still be awhile before I actually have surgery.

I guess I'm scared of surgery as I've only had one gallbladder lap

surgery done in my life.

I feel I can make it though and feel this is what I need to get my

life back once again.

I want to be NORMAL

well at least I want to feel normal

=)

Well enough from me for now

just wanted to say hi and introduce myself as I'm sure on my road to

WLS I will be needing some friends to talk to who understand.(my best

friend at the time is very against me doing this and also my husband

is semi supportive so they don't want to really discuss things with

me)

take care all

----------------------------------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

I am also a and I am 39 years old. I am from

a little town called Redwood Valley, 10 miles out of

Ukiah. I will be heaving surgery january 9, 2002. It

took my husband alittle while to come around. Mostly

because he did not know much about it. When I finally

got him to sit down and see how important it was to me

and that I was serious. He started checking things

out on his own. He is more confident now. Although

once everything was cleared by , Surgeon, PCP, Physc.,

nutriionist and the big one INSURANCE!!! He got

alittle scared. But he is going to take 2 weeks off

to be with me at the hospital and for when I am

released. I am just starting to tell my friends and I

am finding there are two kinds of people those that

think it great, and those who don't. But I am trying

to not let those that don't upset me as I have to many

other things to worry about. Just getting ready for

Surgery. So hand in there and Good Luck! You are

giving yourself the best present you can. Hope you

had a great Thanksgiving! :=)

BMI 41/238 lbs

Age 39

Dr. Keshishian

01/09/02

--- KLSMA@... wrote:

> Hi all my name is and I'm 39 years old

> I am in the researching phase I guess on surgery.

> I won't bore you with my dieting history but believe

> me I have dieted

> I have changed my lifestyle and exercised forever

> to find myself at a nice weight of 312 pounds(maybe

> more you know it

> was Thanksgiving yesterday) LOL

> I have my initial consult with Dr. Hess in Bowling

> Green next

> Thursday.

> I'm not sure how long it will take after that but

> from reading up on

> it I feel it will still be awhile before I actually

> have surgery.

> I guess I'm scared of surgery as I've only had one

> gallbladder lap

> surgery done in my life.

> I feel I can make it though and feel this is what I

> need to get my

> life back once again.

> I want to be NORMAL

> well at least I want to feel normal

> =)

> Well enough from me for now

> just wanted to say hi and introduce myself as I'm

> sure on my road to

> WLS I will be needing some friends to talk to who

> understand.(my best

> friend at the time is very against me doing this and

> also my husband

> is semi supportive so they don't want to really

> discuss things with

> me)

>

> take care all

>

>

>

>

>

----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

[Guest guest]

Hi I've been reading your comments for a while now and I thought I should

introduce myself. My name is Fiona. We live in Brisbane Australia. Our son Jack

was diagnosed at 1 mth with CF. He is 10 1/2 months now. He struggled to gain

weight early on but is doing really well now. His chest has been clear so far.

I am pregnant only a few weeks ahead of . I went for my first scan and we

couldn't see anything. The doctor thought that it was a failed pregnancy. But we

did find a tiny dot on the screen and I've seen the heart beat now. I was very

upset. We tried for 4 1/2 years for Jack and it was such a surprise to be

pregnant again and then you have all the worries about whether the baby has CF

and that was the last thing I expected to hear or see. I'm being careful not to

be too excited just to protect myself even though I have now seen the baby. And

on top of all that I have diabetes already and I started on insulin today and my

blood pressure is up as well. I am just a picture of health especially with the

morning sickness.

Yesterday I went down to the childcare centre to talk them about Jack and to put

the next baby's name on the list. The waiting lists are really long here. I

haven't been back to work because of Jack but after talking with them I don't

think I'll be able to put him in until he is 3. It seems like such a long time

to have off work - I was a bit down about it - well I suppose I will be busy

with the next baby anyway. I mean I love being with Jack but I hadn't planned to

take so much time away from work. I suppose that it just part of it all.

I can't believe I've told you all that!