Recent Posts
Topic: RE: Anthem vs. MMC
I havent had any problems with them yet. The only thing I have had to pay was like $19 for one visit and I have had several. I have the same insurance through the university system.
Topic: RE: New Member
I was almost a year out before I could do eggs and still need them mixed with cheese for them to settle well. I also had issues with chicken and pork. Now I can do anything but bread. I did well with shrimp (Maine) when I was early out. Hope this helps. Greek yogurt is yummy too.
Weight includes 21 Pounds lost on 2 Week Pre-op Diet
Topic: Anthem vs. MMC
♪ ♫ ♪ lost 75 pre-op, surgery 1/20/10, 125+ since RNY, 200+ pounds off ♪ ♫ ♪
I have a question for anyone who has had surgery in Portland. I have Anthem BCBS through the State of Maine as my husband is an employee of the state. The insurance covers bariatric surgery and support at 100% -- not even a co-pay for any of it. In theory, anyway. What keeps happening is that MMC bills for the nutritionist using just the facility name and not a provider name. Anthem, when I call, tells me it is covered 100%, but they need to submit the bill with a provider name. I contact MMC and they say we don't do it that way, it is the facility.
Today I got a little nasty and said it made sense to me that MMC should add the provider name if they want to be paid. I will not pay for it when it is covered 100% and they just don't bill in a way that Anthem accepts. Every time I call Anthem, I am assured everything is covered. Every time I call MMC, they fight me about billing it properly. It takes about 7 months for them to get paid for each service. It is ridiculous!
As anyone had any luck getting MMC to just bill properly from the start? I asked to have my account flagged because I am tired of having to tell MMC 10x that they have to add a provider name. I refuse to pay just because they won't bill correctly.
Today I got a little nasty and said it made sense to me that MMC should add the provider name if they want to be paid. I will not pay for it when it is covered 100% and they just don't bill in a way that Anthem accepts. Every time I call Anthem, I am assured everything is covered. Every time I call MMC, they fight me about billing it properly. It takes about 7 months for them to get paid for each service. It is ridiculous!
As anyone had any luck getting MMC to just bill properly from the start? I asked to have my account flagged because I am tired of having to tell MMC 10x that they have to add a provider name. I refuse to pay just because they won't bill correctly.
♪ ♫ ♪ lost 75 pre-op, surgery 1/20/10, 125+ since RNY, 200+ pounds off ♪ ♫ ♪
Topic: RE: New Member
Thanks- i suspected I'd have to do a lot of trial and error. From what you're saying I should do more soft foods- haven't really done a good jib with that. I probably should go back to my post op staples- mushroom and tomato soup (homemade- no sugar). I'm overall very happy- just frustrated with the throwing up.
Jen 
Topic: RE: New Member
♪ ♫ ♪ lost 75 pre-op, surgery 1/20/10, 125+ since RNY, 200+ pounds off ♪ ♫ ♪
Hi and welcome! I had my surgery in January in Portland . . .
I don't have any troubles when I stick with soft foods, but there are several things that really don't seem to work for me. One of those is eggs -- I have tried scrambled, hardboiled, egg salad, fritatas, and crustless quiche . . . and each one has sat badly, but mostly that painful food is stuck feeling rather than vomitting. Chicken is another problem food, and I tried a little pork the other day and it came back. Ground turkey and ground beef work fine, but I usually put them in a food processor and make them really tiny. I seem to live off of these cups/casserole type things I make -- A taco cup with refried beans and ground turkey, one that is like lasagna without the noodles, and a cottage cheese crustless quiche (with only one egg). I grind up veggies and add them. I find the refried beans goes down the best, and have 25g of protein the way I do, plus has some veggies, so it works out okay.
I will tell you that there is a big difference between this month and last month in how much volume I can tolerate. I can eat up to 3/4 cup without it getting painful, if the food is soft. On the other hand, one egg turned into egg salad with light mayo and I feel uncomfortable. So I am thinking it is the water content. I don't get why eggs feel so bad, but I just can't do them by themselves in any form right now.
I don't have any troubles when I stick with soft foods, but there are several things that really don't seem to work for me. One of those is eggs -- I have tried scrambled, hardboiled, egg salad, fritatas, and crustless quiche . . . and each one has sat badly, but mostly that painful food is stuck feeling rather than vomitting. Chicken is another problem food, and I tried a little pork the other day and it came back. Ground turkey and ground beef work fine, but I usually put them in a food processor and make them really tiny. I seem to live off of these cups/casserole type things I make -- A taco cup with refried beans and ground turkey, one that is like lasagna without the noodles, and a cottage cheese crustless quiche (with only one egg). I grind up veggies and add them. I find the refried beans goes down the best, and have 25g of protein the way I do, plus has some veggies, so it works out okay.
I will tell you that there is a big difference between this month and last month in how much volume I can tolerate. I can eat up to 3/4 cup without it getting painful, if the food is soft. On the other hand, one egg turned into egg salad with light mayo and I feel uncomfortable. So I am thinking it is the water content. I don't get why eggs feel so bad, but I just can't do them by themselves in any form right now.
♪ ♫ ♪ lost 75 pre-op, surgery 1/20/10, 125+ since RNY, 200+ pounds off ♪ ♫ ♪
Topic: update and thoughts
♪ ♫ ♪ lost 75 pre-op, surgery 1/20/10, 125+ since RNY, 200+ pounds off ♪ ♫ ♪
Hi Everyone,
I haven't posted much lately and missed both the Portland and Rockport support groups this month. I confess that I have some trouble coming on and reading posts on this site because I often end up feeling like I am not doing well enough. Part of it is that I just started so much higher than most of you . . . I have lost 140 pounds, but that is only halfway!
Last time I was on, I saw someone who had surgery just two days before me and she had already lost 75 pounds at 2 months post-op, so my 65 at 3 months out seems sort of dinky in comparison. I KNOW I shouldn't compare, but I inevitably go down that road when I come on here.
I did post a blog update and updated photos. Those are sort of depressing too . . . even though I have lost 30 pounds in the last 7 weeks, I don't see a lot of difference between now and the photos from 6 weeks post-op. Some of it is the clothing choice, to be sure . . . and there is a big difference from where I started, but . . . such a long way to go.
Right now my biggest problem appears to be acid reflux for PMS. It gets bad enough that I wake up choking from the acid instead of from my sleep apnea. I see the nurse and dietician tomorrow, so I will discuss that with them.
Life is slightly less crazy this week as the boys are on break from school, the older one just finished two plays, so there is a tad more time to do other things.
Bec
I haven't posted much lately and missed both the Portland and Rockport support groups this month. I confess that I have some trouble coming on and reading posts on this site because I often end up feeling like I am not doing well enough. Part of it is that I just started so much higher than most of you . . . I have lost 140 pounds, but that is only halfway!
Last time I was on, I saw someone who had surgery just two days before me and she had already lost 75 pounds at 2 months post-op, so my 65 at 3 months out seems sort of dinky in comparison. I KNOW I shouldn't compare, but I inevitably go down that road when I come on here.
I did post a blog update and updated photos. Those are sort of depressing too . . . even though I have lost 30 pounds in the last 7 weeks, I don't see a lot of difference between now and the photos from 6 weeks post-op. Some of it is the clothing choice, to be sure . . . and there is a big difference from where I started, but . . . such a long way to go.
Right now my biggest problem appears to be acid reflux for PMS. It gets bad enough that I wake up choking from the acid instead of from my sleep apnea. I see the nurse and dietician tomorrow, so I will discuss that with them.
Life is slightly less crazy this week as the boys are on break from school, the older one just finished two plays, so there is a tad more time to do other things.
Bec
♪ ♫ ♪ lost 75 pre-op, surgery 1/20/10, 125+ since RNY, 200+ pounds off ♪ ♫ ♪
Topic: New Member
Hi- I am new to this forum. I had RNY surgery in Portland at MMC in February and am just looking for support as I go through this process. Inspiration too. I am really struggling to keep food down. Does anyone else have this problem? Volume is not always the problem... Thanks
Topic: RE: pre-op liquid diet
♪ ♫ ♪ lost 75 pre-op, surgery 1/20/10, 125+ since RNY, 200+ pounds off ♪ ♫ ♪
Did you just start exercising? Sometimes you retain more water and even gain some muscle weight if you're just starting out. Are you getting enough fluid in addition to the shakes?
I really didn't lose that much in the first week, but lost more the second week. I have always been a little odd though ;)
I really didn't lose that much in the first week, but lost more the second week. I have always been a little odd though ;)
♪ ♫ ♪ lost 75 pre-op, surgery 1/20/10, 125+ since RNY, 200+ pounds off ♪ ♫ ♪
Topic: RE: Shaving
♪ ♫ ♪ lost 75 pre-op, surgery 1/20/10, 125+ since RNY, 200+ pounds off ♪ ♫ ♪
I hope you find that the more expensive razor helps -- I find it really makes a big difference for me. I am boney around my ankles, despite still being very heavy.
♪ ♫ ♪ lost 75 pre-op, surgery 1/20/10, 125+ since RNY, 200+ pounds off ♪ ♫ ♪
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