Alicia28
September 2007
Jan 20, 2008
August 2007
Jan 20, 2008
This month I recieved a phone call from Dr. Dallal's office saying I needed to come in for a consultation. I went in and the doctor realized it was still to soon to come in for one that I should come back closer to when my diet is up and ready to be submitted to insurance. But he deffinetly did think the surgery was right for me and he seemed like such a nice guy.
July 2007
Jan 20, 2008
I was still seeing this doctor and still feeling uneasy. I just continued to do my research by reading any info on the web, buying books and watching Big Medicine. My health was starting to go down more. My feet were just getting more swollen, they sent me to the E.R. thinking it could be a blood cloot. That came up negative. Then they thought it could be my heart, and thankfully nothing was wrong with my heart. I was just realizing how bad my health is for being only 28 years old and feeling so embarassesd and ashamed going out in public. I finally went to see the foot doctor and he said it basically is all weight related. He felt that surgery would be a big benefit to help my feet carrying all this extra weight.
JUNE 2007
Jan 20, 2008
I called Dr. Dallal's office to see if my new inurance would cover the procedure. When I called they remembered me. I was shocked!!. They said they would call to see if Blue Cross would cover it. Two days later they called me and said the whole procedure would be covered 100%. I was thrilled. They said I would have to go on a supervised physician's diet for 6 months and have it monitored. That day I called my family doctor to schedule an appointment to get their oppinion on it . The next day I went in and she was all for it.. I decided I still would get more oppinions from the other family doctor, my endocronoligist,etc. Everyone said it would be a great thing to do for myself . They all were for it and were willing to help me out in any way. I was so thankful I had all this support. So I decide I would do this and get started right away.
In the mean time, I decided I wanted to research the other surgeons around my area. I tried to call University of Penn but they were so busy and I knew going downtown wouldnt work for me. I called Temple to see if they had a seminar coming up and they did. I went there and the surgeon seemed to like the lap band best and I knew I would have to follow up with him downtown which again really wouldnt work with my schedule and in the long term.. I also heard they had a long wait. A friend of mine said she was getting her surgery done there. She said you had no choice picking out times for meeting with the doctors, and getting tests done . They scheduled everything at their convenience and again I knew that wouldnt work for me with starting this new job. I called Barix Clinic to see if they had any seminars coming up and all they seemed to care about was getting me scheduled to meet with the doctor and to see if my insurance would cover the procedure before answering my questions. I was really disapointed in them. It seemed like they just wanted their money. I also was afraid to get it done there, in case if something went dangerously wrong. They arent a hospital. If something did go wrong I would have to get transported to a local hospital. I did not like that idea. Last, I knew there was more place I could check out and that was Abington Hospital. Alot of people said they liked it there. When I went it was packed. I was very disapointed when I got there because the doctor wasnt giving the meeting, his nurse was. I felt the doctor is the one doing this surgery, he should be the one running the meeting so patients know what he is like, and for him to answer questions. They just seemed so over whelmed. So, right then and there I knew Einstein Bariatrics was the right choice for me at least. But, I know everywhere has its goods and its bads.
I decided I wanted to go to one more meeting at Einstein to see Dr. Dallal. This time I wanted my dad and boyfriend to go with me. They werent to crazy about me going through with this procedure so I knew that they had to come and learn more about this surgery. They seemed very pleased with what he had to say and realized how much my life would be in danger if I dont go through with this. But, they wanted me to get the lap band.. I didnt know anyone who had it done really. When I started researching the lap band, I realized I wouldnt lose all that much weight with it and there still isnt to much known about it, like the gastric bypass.
The next week a major headline came on CNN news about the gastric bypass and they were saying how the procedure extends your life and seems to be the only proven way of keeping most of your weight off forever and how all the dangers of being obese would go away, like diabeetes, high blood pressure,etc.. Once my family saw that and we did more research I finally knew that was the procedure I wanted to get done..
I started to get everything in order to get me to complete the 6 month diet. I hit a few bumps in the road with trying to get things on the right track. I tried calling a dietician but they would never return my calls. I called Dr Dallal's office to see if they would refer me to one and they did refer me to somebody. When I went to see him, I realized he was just a family doctor not a dietician. I explained to him what I had to do and he said he would handle everything with monitoring my diet, etc. He was just so COLD though. I went to him a few more times and he kept forgetting what I was there for, always marked my weight wrong by 30lbs or more, never knew what medicines he perscribed me. I just felt like I was going no where with him and was afraid that his work would get me denied for the surgery.
MAY 2007
Jan 20, 2008
April 2007
Jan 20, 2008
A few years ago, I checked the gastric bypass surgery out at a place called Barix Clinic in Langhorne, PA. When I got there I was surprised how many people came to that meeting. I always felt so alone dealing with my weight issues all my life. I was impressed what they had to say but on the other hand it scared me to death, that I walked out feeling so numb. They said you could have a chance of dying from this surgery and it scared me with the whole procedure what they did.. I also thought it was an easy way out getting this prcoedure done.So, I figured I would give it my all and try to lose weight the healthy way and I did . I joined Weight Watchers and Curves and lost 65lbs, BUT I never could maintain it and before I knew it I gained it all back and then some. The next year or so after that, I decided I would do it all over again and failed once more.. I also learned my health was going down really fast. I had a thyroid problem that was out of control, P.C.O.S., high blood pressure, boarderline diabetic, my feet were so swollen, etc,etc. I just gave up completely and didnt care about myself or life in general. I was getting more and more depressed and kept gaining weight.
When I was talking to my friend's aunt, she swore the surgeon she saw was the best one around my area. His name is Dr. Dallal. She said she wouldnt recommend anyone else but him and researched alot of data about the other bariatric surgeons and no one compared to him.
After talking with my friend and her family, my mom and I talked about the surgery the whole ride home. I decided the next morning I would call him up to see if he had a seminar coming up soon and he did. The next week my mom and I went and we were so impressed with him and all the interesting facts he had to offer. His meeting lasted almost 2 hours and he made sure he answered everyone's questions. The surgery seemed like it came a long way since I last researched it.
When the meeting was over, Dr Dallal's assistant said she would call to see if my insurance, which is Aetna would cover the procedure.. The next day she got back to me and said AETNA did not cover the procedure. I was devistated. I didnt know what to do.. Then I figured I would let it be for now. I knew I was going to be statring a new job in MAY so I figured I would wait to see what kind of insurance they offered.
