Lynn Bee
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Consults and Prep for Surgery

Jun 13, 2006

I heard from the doctor, while I was away in Boston looking at apartments for next year, that my EKG came back abnormal. It could not rule out that I have not had a prior heart attack. It was three days before I am supposed to have my surgery. So I came back early and got a new EKG. I do not yet know the results. The plan is that they will give me any other needed cardiological tests the morning of surgery.  I was really calm before this happened - and even though I know it is very unlikely that I had a heart attack (I am very young and I never experienced any symptoms), it has still made me very nervous.

-Got a call confirming all tests went well, except I need to drink more water before surgery.

- JUNE 7, 2006 I got all my remaining tests done at the hospital. They were very quick and efficient. I got the EKG, bloodwork and urine analysis, and chest X-RAY. I hung out for a while and then went to my doctor's support group meeting that night. The people were very nice.

-JUNE 1, 2006. I went to my second consult and started up the process for getting a surgery date. I also got a quick physical.

Trying to Self-Pay

May 12, 2006

-MAY, 2006. My aunt, who is also trying to get the DS and is a nurse with a master's degree, and I were finally able to convince my parents that I need to get this and that now would be the best time. Wahoo! So I will be self-paying. I will be paying all of my own saved money (aprox 14,000) and my parents will pay the rest. Insurance has been covering the pre-op tests.

-MAY, 2006. I went to my first consult with the new doctor, Dr. # 3. He was very convincing. I was initially discouraged to learn that he does the DS open, but his reasoning made a great deal of sense. My mom remained very skeptical throughout the visit. I asked a ton of questions.

Let Down Number 2

Apr 14, 2006

Dr number 2 finally got back to me after I handed in the letter. His office says it isn't good enough because no weekly weigh-ins. Of course by waiting until now to tell me this, I no longer have time to do the six-month diet and get the surgery before I leave for school in the fall. I do not curse often, but my thoughts toward them are best summarized by an expletive. Ok, so they decide that we can't submit with what we have. So game over for DR. number 2.

-APRIL, 2006. After three months of weekly hounding my endocrinologist's office manager and several crappy drafts, I finally get a decent letter recommending me for surgery and stating four long-term physician supervised diets I did with my endocrinologist and his former associates. Fax it to DR. 2 right away.

Pre-op Testing

Jan 22, 2006

-JAN 2006 - I got most of my tests done. Bloodwork was easy. They said all was normal except my thyroid numbers - but my PCP says this is a common side effect of the particular birth control I take, called Yasmin. I did the colonoscopy and endoscopy. It was very easy and I had no pain or soreness. Results were odd. Dr. saw nothing that could be a cause of constant DHR. Which I guess is good. So he put me on cholestyramine/questran powder to control it because it is a general constipation inducing drug. Lovely. Actually my stomach showed some inflammation called gastritis which is odd because I have DHR all the time, but almost never have stomach issues. No heart burn/ acid reflux/ puking almost ever. But I did have the stomach flu last week so it could be from that. No H Pilori though

Consult with Dr. 2

Dec 31, 2005

So now that I graduated college one semester early and my insurance changed. I had my first appt with Dr. #2. It went well except he was concerned that I have DHR so often as a pre-op. (I go 4-8x a day, but it has been this way with me for a while and my endocrinologist was unconcerned because he is nearly certain it is from my glucophage - I disagree, but whatever.) Anyway Dr. 2 was very concerned and basically said he did not support doing the DS on someone as young, light weight, and already having a touchy bowel as me. Well, meh. So I am getting an endoscopy and colonoscopy and that will tell him what to do from here.

As a plus, he is in network for my insurance Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and he has had them cover WLS and the DS before.

First Consult

Aug 09, 2005

I went for a consult with Dr. #1. He was arrogant and kind of rude. He agreed with my decision to get the lapband. I wanted the DS but my parents greatly preferred the lapband and my insurance, Cigna PPO, doesn’t usually approve the DS. Anyway at the end of our 2 hr wait and 20 min appointment, he tells us that my insurance almost never approves any sort of WLS anyway – but the appt will be $200 please and he doesn’t accept insurance for the consult fee. So I decided to finish school one semester early (Dec 2005) and try to get surgery then.
About Me
Greater Boston, MA
Location
34.0
BMI
DS
Surgery
06/19/2006
Surgery Date
Aug 14, 2005
Member Since
Friends 97
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