Can I be any more sad?

My 5 month wait is no over.
I was approved for a RNY, my surgery is, well was,  Monday at 7:00am at United.
I was at my 3 hour orientation today and when I got out I had a message from the nurse at my Surgeons office.

Evidentally a note in a medical record from Sept 2008 said I had a lesion in my small intestion that was indicitive of Crohns Disease.  i day before my surgery, the cancelled it. My Dr wont even consider it now.  5 months....I am devastated.

The thing is, I just saw my internest 2 weeks ago and she said I had mild ulcerative colitis, I did not have Crohns.

Ive cried more today that I have in more years than I can remember.  I am so sad.

Cat

Oh, Cat, you have to fight this.   Who cancelled?  Insurance or surgeon?   If it was the surgeon, you should be able to put him/her in touch with your internist to see if they can go ahead.  What does your internist say about doing WLS with colitis?  And, can it be healed before surgery?

Take the weekend off to collect your thoughts and gather your strength.  You have some phone calls to make on Monday.   We're all in your corner and are saving you a seat.

Tuna

My surgeons nurse called and cancelled.  She said Dr. Rupp will NOT do the surgery if I have Crohns.  My internest even wrote on my last exam record that I was having a RNY.  She told me it may help but it will not worsen it.

I havent given up, but I just feel like I lost my chance at finally getting my life back.  I just am so down.  I will be calling my internest.  I pray it can be fixed.  I know its not Crohns.  I just saw her.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Cat

When the decision is made to have WLS and you jump the hoops necessary, and then you are hit with what feels like a brick wall, you have two decisions to make. You can either back down and bow out of the fight, or you can put your gloves on and fight like a boy!

So, take today and sulk and be sad because it does suck! It sucks big time.

But, wake up tomorrow with a renewed spirit and get a list ready of people to call and questions to ask. Document everything. See if a meeting can be arranged with Dr. Rupp and your internist. If Dr. Rupp is not willing, screw him! Move on. Go see Dr. Buchwald at the U of M Physicians. He takes the tough cases and he'll review your medical records and advise you as to the best route to take. Trust me on this one!

Then you come back here and you tell us what you decided, but if you want to fight Cat, get ready and be willing!!! I'm behind ya girl.

I am a fighter, I have always been a fighter!  I am a strong Italian woman!  Ive been thru 12 years of abuse, been a single mom of 4 for 9 years, raising my grandson and holding all full-time job. 

I'll be damned if ANYONE will hold me down!  I am very sad, the wind sucked out of my sails, but all I need is a little breeze, just a little and I will be back.

I re-read my interests records again.  There is a disconnect and I refuse to allow a misunderstanding hold me back. 

This literally is the fight of my life!!!

Thanks for the strong, powerful words, thats what I need!!!!

Cat

In the ever-so-wise words of Wynonna;

"When you hit Rock Bottom, you've got two ways to go -
Straight Up, or sideways.
I have seen my share of hard times, and I'm lettin' you know
Staight Up is MY way!!"

You go, girl!!!   

Cat, definitely don't give up!  It is not out of the question to have RNY while having ulcerative colitis or Chrons.  My first appointment about RNY was in 2004 (I had mine at Mayo).  I'd had ulcerative colitis for three years before that (actually diagnosed two years before, but had the symptoms before that).  I had to see a GI doc at Mayo to get cleared for RNY.  I was just off prednisone at the time and they said I couldn't be on that, could not be in a flare, and that my liver function test numbers had to be normal.  Luckily, those things fell into place for me and I had RNY in 2005, with absolutely no complications.

Since then, however, I've had flares with the UC (the last one a long one...was on prednisone over two years) and ended up with a GI bleed, causing me to have my colon out this past June.  One good thing is that I now no longer have UC.  I'm not thrilled with dealing with the bag, but I have the possibility of having it reversed at some point and Mayo had told me I wouldn't be a candidate for a reversal.  Things have changed a lot in a few years.

If your doc is telling you he won't consider RNY, find someone else.  Like Amy said, Dr. Ikramuddin at the U of M does difficult cases, and you can always go to Mayo.  The endocrinologist that coordinated everything there for me told me I was the perfect candidate, so it can be done!

Good luck and keep us posted!

If you can't get Rupp to do it.. then request all your med recs from their office and take them and go to another surgical group who will do it. Don't stop...

I don't know what insurance you have or what surgical group/surgeon you can go to, but I'd see if you can get another one to do it for you. Clearly if your internist cleared you and says no, you don't have Crohns.. then i don't know what the deal is

I am SOOOOO sorry! :( That must be so devestating. Hopefully there is something you can do!

DO NOT GIVE UP!!
I have been at the beginning stage of this for almost three years now.  I had insurance that had WLS as an exclusion and I thought I could beat them but I could not so after many appeals I said I just have to move on.  Then the company I worked for was sold and they do not provide insurance and that left me in a better place!  In Wisconsin, if your employer elects to drop health insurance you are automatically covered by a State policy similar to medicaid but you have to pay for it.  This new insurance I have covers everything!! including WLS.  I fulfilled all the requirements and was just approved this week.  In this process I had surgery for a hiatal hernia and they had to do a Nissan Wrap (took the top of the stomach and wrapped it around the top and stitched it so my stomach would stay down and if the hernia came back it could not pull it up).  It has now made it very difficult for any surgeon to do the WLS and they will not be able to tell until they are in there whether or not they CAN do the surgery.  So I go this week to get my surgery date and see the surgeon again.  I could go through surgery and come home with nothing done or they could have success!!  I am taking the positive approach that it will be a good outcome!!   So Cat, do not give up, just move on!!  We can all get over bumps in the road, don't let this be a wall (I have a feeling you'd get over that too)!!  Sorry you have to go through all this but it will be worth it.