I apoligize for not getting back to you sooner. I just got home tonight from having my surgery. Everything went well I am just very sore. Barbara is a great lady. She will get you all set up on the correct plan. Now after you get approved make an appointment with Dr. Oakley's office to have your consult. Jennifer the secretary assistant will write up your letter to the insurance company explaining why its a medical neccessity. If you look online at your insurance policy that you will be getting and also when you get the insurance paperwork it will have an exclusion in there that says only if its med necc. Good luck and I hope this all works for you. Just be honest with Dr Oakley and his staff regarding your situation and they will do what they can for you. Who knows maybe in three months you will be writting me the night you come home from the hospital. Good luck.

Lori, Thank You so much for the info. I am planning on being there !!

Sorry, Mercy North is right by the Garrity exit in Nampa just in case you didn't know.

Hi all! I'm a little over three months out and I've lost half of what I'm wanting to lose! Woohoo! I had the biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (DS) with Dr. Marchesini in Brazil on Dec. 7, 2005. (I started with Dr. Oakley in Boise, but that didn't work out... for which I'm very happy because Dr. M was the absolute best!) My personal goal is 150 pounds, which meant I'd need to lose 140. Well, as of this morning I've lost 72 lbs! Yay!!! I'm eating well (I had a chicken/Stove Top stuffing/Swiss cheese/cream of chicken and mushroom soup casserole thing for dinner tonight -- a few more carbs than usual, but so far I'm tolerating it well. I mostly eat chicken or beef or some other protein, then veggies, then some carbs if there's any room left.) I'm doing ok getting my water in, and am still working on getting my supplements just right. I did order the Protica Profect protein drinks (2.8-oz that I can chug quickly and get it over with because I hate protein drinks!), and I have one a day (25 gms each). I just had my three-month labs drawn; I should have the results soon. I have a 5-oz stomach and a 65cm common channel. The only side-effects I've had so far are some gas and smelly poops when I eat pasta or bread (as long as I stay away from those, I don't have any problems). (There's no dumping or stoma problems with the DS since the pylorus is left intact so that the stomach functions normally.) The DS has been such a blessing to me! My life has changed already. I can sit on the floor with my students; I can walk barefoot; I don't need special insoles in my shoes nor do I have to wear shoes that follow "the rules" my podiatrist gave me a few years ago; I've gone from a size 28-30 to a 18-20; all movements are easier; and on and on and on. I'm so glad I did this! I've posted recent pics to my profile if you're interested. I know that I don't post very often to this Idaho board, but I do lurk. There's not many Idaho DSers out there, so a lot of the topics don't really relate to me. But it's nice to share with people who live near you, don't you think? Thanks for putting up with me! Amanda in Shoshone DS w/ Dr. Marchesini in Brazil 12-7-05 289/218 5'2" BMI 52/40

In case any of you have trouble remembering to take your vitamins, I have a mailing list set up to send out reminders twice a day, at 6 am and 6 pm PT. If you are interested in signing up, send a e-mail to [email protected] or click on my WWW folder below to visit the group page. Sherri