BarbaraC
5/20/05
I am a Kaiser Permanente member. I am in the 4th month of 6 of meeting with nutritionists, taking a weight loss class, talking with a psychiatrist and regularly attending an exercise program. I also have to loss 5% of my weight which is/was 15#s. I have 8#s to go. I visit this website every night and have learned so much.
Other information about me, I am 52 years old and have been married to a wonderful man for 31 years. I have a 30 year old son and an almost 21 year old daughter that attends college in NYC. She also wants WLS, BMI 43, but my insurance states she too young. I think that they are hoping that she will soon be off my insurance and be someone else�s problem. I am a federal employee and works on a computer all day.
12/5/05
I made an insurance change during open season. As of January 8th I will be insured by GEHA of Government Employee Hospital Association. I decided to pursue Lap Band Surgery and since KP only approves RNY I had to find one that approves Lap Band. I am fortunate to have an open season with several Insurance selections.
I also have a consult set up with Dr Schweitzer of the John Hopkins Obesity surgery center for the end of February. I will have to a six month Dr. supervised diet. So I am looking at sometime around July/August for the surgery. This has been a long year but also a fast year, maybe I will be on the losing side soon. 
1/9/06
I had my first appointment with my new PCP and am started my 6 month diet and exercise plan. I am also researching other Lap Band Doctors in the Baltimore area. 
1/17/06
Tonight I went to the St Agnes Seminar. It was interesting. Moving on and hope to get the band soon. Dr. Singh took questions for the group. He is a funny man. Said he had done over 1000 GB and about 70 LB surgeries. 
1/25/06
I have a consultation set up with Dr Singh at St Agnes Hospital on February 21! It is amazing how with some Doctors you have to wait 6 months just to get a consultation and others can see you in less than 30 days. I have done a little research and everyone who has been a patient of Dr. Singh loves him.
2/4/06
I have an appointment with my new PCP to get all the information for my consultation. I have some bad news though, last night I got very thirsty and kept drinking water but it was not helping. Since my husband is a diabetic I used his testing equipment, my blood sugar level was 190 and this morning it was 120. I will talk to the doctor about this on Tuesday.
2/7/06
Just got back from my appointment with my PCP, she is very supportive of the Lab Band Surgery. This is my second appt for with my 6 month diet. I lost .5#. I was so worried that I had gained weight. But I did LOSE a little. It is so good to know that I didn't gain. I was complaining of my knees hurting, elevated blood sugar levels etc. She said that after the surgery and I begin to loss weight that I should see remarked improvement in my health. I was given referrals to see the sleep specialist, cardiologist, Gastroenteritis, and GYN. The only problem was my new PCP has not received my records from my former PCP. I have my next appt. on March 9.
2/9/06
Today I went to the Sleep Specialist. He is sending me for a sleep study. NO SURPRISE. I know I will wind up with a CPAP. More info to come.
2/21/06
Hoping to have my consultation today but the Doc was detained in surgery today. I hope that who ever it was is OK. Now it is set for this Thursday. Oh I have a stress test scheduled for 3/10
2/23/06
I met with Dr Singh today. He was great! He reviewed my package of records it and then talked to me about what I still needed to do. I still have to complete a visit with the nutritionist (scheduled Mar 13) and psychic evaluations completed (just need the report) and then my paper work will be submitted to the insurance co. Paper work will be submitted before the results of the stress test (Mar10) and sleep study (Mar 17). Looks like I could have surgery in April. I want to be well for my daughters graduation from college the end of May and I have a business trip and vacation planned for the middle of June. Oh and I do not have to do pre-op diet. Will find out what I have to do post op after I talk to the Nut.
3/21/06
I had my sleep study last week it went OK. It took me all weekend to catch up on my sleep. I still have to have the stress test but I was told all I needed for the Ins Co. was my Psyc report. I had one last year when I started the process for GB. I have been trying for 6 week to get a copy of that report. The mental health people at the old HMO has taken 6 week to get the form to my old PCP office. WELL they got the report today and it and it could take a WEEK. Well I blew up and told them that I was told that it would be ready today!! It better be ready tomorrow. I am going to the office and make a scene. I hope the next time I post I will have been approved.
3/24/06
This morning the Dr. office called and said that they were working on my Ins. package. They still needed my current blood work. I told them that somehow I had misplaced it but would get my PCP to send them a copy. She said that if I could get it to her before the mail ran today it would go out today. If not she would get it out on Monday. I thought that they need the Psyc report but apparently it is not needed for ins approval. I still have to get my sleep study report and take the stress test before surgery. Hope to have surgery soon.
3/28/06
Well I was told my paper work went to the insurance company on yesterday. Now I found out that I may need a letter from my PCP. So I will get that lined up. I have my Psyc Report that has to get the surgeon.
And then today I get a call from the Sleep Study Ctr. The Dr wants another sleep study. It can not be done until April 15. Then it�s another 2 week for the report and then 3 weeks that I will need to be on a CPAP before I can have surgery. So now we are looking for the end of May. I have a graduation out of town the end of May and then I have a business trip June 12th that I have to work around.
Still no word from the ins. co. but I do have good news I just finished y stress test the heart is just fine. No blockages and it pumps great too. The doctor sounded very surprised. So one more step closer.
I did call the ins. co. on Monday and I was told by somebody that I was approved. That I was approved on March 30th! She went on the say the code number that was approved and the documents that should be in the mail. I was so happy and not thinking at the time, that was the day that they received the package. So I hung up and called the surgeon and while talking to them, I realized that March 30th was the date they received the package!! Boy was I mad I called ins. co. back. Another person looked at ins. case and said that there was no way it was approved already. They only had it for 6 business days and there was a back log of requests in house. She went all through the documents and said it was still being reviewed and I asked again if any thing was missing. She said no. I should know something in the net few weeks. Well I think I will be calling every few day to see the status.
4/14/06
Happy Easter everyone - I'm approved!!!
I do not have the letter yet but I called GEHA again was told that as of April 12 I was approved. The person on the phone read the letter. Said I should have it soon. Now I have to finish the sleep study get on the CPAP for several weeks before the surgeon will do the lapband. Another step closer. I hope I will have the surgery by the end of May.
4/23/06
Well I talked with Dr Singh�s office and set a tentative surgery date of June 20. I have to be out of town the 2 weeks before that. I also have to see Dr Singh again because it will be more than 3 months between surgery and the consultation. Then there is the pre-op class that I have to attend and the pre admissions visit with my PCP. On top of that I have to meet with the sleep apnea Dr and start using the CPAP. So I hope I can get all this done before June 20th. I really hope this is all I have to do. I will keep this posted if anything changes.
4/25/06
I am home from my Colonoscopy and EGD procedure. The EGD was done because of my upcoming lapband surgery. During the EDG the surgeon found a polypoid lesion which is being sent for a biopsy. The surgeon did not think was a big deal. He just said that it was unusual to find one where he found the lesion. I glad I had this procedure and had it is removed. This lesion may have caused a problem with the band later or even worse become cancerous in the future. I will update after I get the results of the biopsy.
5/2/06
Well I saw the Sleep Dr. yesterday. He said I was having 60 episodes an hour. That was one every minute! Plus it took the highest setting on the CPAP to help. He asked if I could breathe out at that setting and as far as I could remember I did not have a problem. Now tomorrow I will pick up the machine. I sure hope it works. I am so tired when I wake up in the mornings that I do not want to get out of bed. I could sleep 12 hours a day. On another note I have to reschedule my surgery for the week of June 26 due to upcoming business travel. I WILL BE BANDED BY THE END OF JUNE!!!! I told them at work that I was schedule and I would not change it again!!
5/4/06
Boy did I get a surprise today. St Agnes already called for per-op questions. Said I was scheduled on June 26 at 7:30AM for surgery. Making sure that all the info they received was correct. I was not expecting this that soon since I just talked to Dr Singh office yesterday and got my date. Wish all things moved this fast. Maybe I'd already be banded. BTW I did receive my CPAP yesterday and have started using it. Although it did not last the whole night! I did manage CPAP today with no problems.
May 13, 2006
6 weeks and 2 days to go.
Well I have been sleeping with the CPAP now for over a week and am starting to well better. My DH says is like sleeping with Darth Vader!
The Hospital, St. Agnes expects their co pay upfront and my portion will be $1,400. So now I have to come up with the money before June 26. Thank God I will be able to do it. I will also have to come up with that amount for my daughter surgery with I hope will be scheduled the early part of July. So now all my stuff had been completed I am just waiting for the surgery date to get here.
Well it is June 15 and I am on my business trip. Will be on vacation next week and then have surgery on the Monday, June 26. I had my pre-op before I left. The doctor did the EKG and the blood work. Then this week I realized that I did not get a chest x-ray. I don’t know what happen but now I will have to get one next week while on vacation
June 28
Surgery went great. St Agnes hospital in Baltimore was the greatest. The nurses could not have been better. Every time I rang the buzzer they were there with smiles on their faces. I arrived at 5:30 for my 7:30 surgery. But since all my pre-op admitting paper work was not in the computer, the nurse had to put it all in and she said that pre admitting was going to hear about it. I was told later that my surgery was late getting starting because of it. After that I was given some happy juice. I arrived in the operating room and they used some type of air mattress that moved me from one bed to the operation table. It was so cool and the move was efferent less. After surgery I was told I was not breading deep enough and my oxygen levels were low. The nurses kept telling to bread deeper and soon that was OK, however I had problem breathing on sleeping on my back. Then I was taken to my room and at 11 AM I was up and walking. The nurses said I was doing great to get our of bed so early.
I felt like crap for the first 2 days lots of gas pains. I kept asking myself “WHY DID I DO THIS!!” On the second day I had the X-ray to see if the fluid was going through. It was neat to see the band inside if me. It took like 45 minute for the fluid to start moving through and the Dr doing the test said the band looked good and it was usual for the band to do this. He told me think about eating because it happens when one is not hungry.
I did run a slight fever but it did not keep me it the hospital. Today I am sore like I was pounced in the stomach. My DH was great too. He stayed at the hospital which was unusual for him. He hates hospitals. I was able to come home at 5PM on Tuesday. I had a rough time sleeping went from the recliner to the bed, back and force until I finally was able to sleep. Today I feel a lot better and have been doing the same thing going from the recliner to the bed, back and force. Well at least the bad part is over I hope.
August 14, 2006
Here it is August and I just received my first fill. I am down to 294.9 so that is about 25#. II am so glad that I am below 300. Although have not lost anything for the past 4 weeks. I will be on liquids for the next 2 days. I hope that this fill does the trick. So glad now that the surgery is over and I feel human again.
August 17
I had my first fill on Monday. No problem with liquids. However, I went out to eat last night for my daughter's BD. I was starving after being on liquids for the pass few days. We went to Red Lobster. She also had her first fill on Monday and we split a plate. I tried a little salad. Very little and chewed very long. Then ate a little baked Pot and the boiled fish, which was cut very thin and no bigger then my palm. I was stuffed, in pain and had to get up and walk. It passed in about 30 minutes and after walked around the Mall. I was nice to get so full after being so hungry. I just hope the restriction does not go away. BTW I was down another 5# this morning!
Oct 2006
I went to the doctor and I am down to 284. I also was given a fill of .5 that makes 2cc in a 4 cc band. The weight loss is slow but it is going down. Not able to exercise much since I also have a heal spur/stress fracture. I was told to stay off the foot until it gets better.
Dec 11
Another doctors appointment today. He is happy with my weight loss but I am not! I am at 279 only 5# down since my last visit. I did not get a fill this time and was told to come back in 3 months unless I felt like I needed a fill.
Dec 15
Joined a gym, not too far from the house and hope to make a habit of going to help with weight loss, however the foot is still bother me.
Dec 21
Went to the Orthopedic doctor and was given a cortisone shot in my heal to help with the pain.
Dec 31
Well 2006 is over and I am down a total of 40# since surgery. I am now wearing size 24, down from the 28/30 last year. I hope that 2007 brings greater weight loss. Also ten days since the cortisone shot and the heal is not better. I have got to this thing better so I can start walking with out pain!!