YIPEE YIPEE YIPEE GOT MY SURGERY DATE!
Congratulations! I'm SO happy for you!
Well, I'm still in the process. I just had all of my tests done--the last one done yesterday with the counselor for a psycho-social evaluation. That did not turn out to well because the minute I walked in the door she started to pick on me. She even admitted that she was picking on me. I am barely 5' 1 inch tall, and I am 60 pounds overweight with the illnesses (diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure) associated with being obese. And she's trying to tell me that I don't need the surgery and that all I need to lose is 40 pounds. I told her I was sick of taking these medications and that I feel these co-morbitities and medications I have to take are inhibiting my weight loss, but it seemed as if she was listening to what I was saying and that she wanted to get her opinion across. I guess it's easy for her to tell me this seeing that she was a very skinny person who obviously does not have the chronic illnesses I have. Anyway, she told me that she was going to recommend that I reconsider having the surgery, but that the final decision would be between my surgeon and me. I hope everything works out for me. I keep praying. It seems like everything so far has fallen into place, with the exception of yesterday's meeting.
Good Luck on your surgery. I'm sure you'll keep us all posted.
Rose
Well, I'm still in the process. I just had all of my tests done--the last one done yesterday with the counselor for a psycho-social evaluation. That did not turn out to well because the minute I walked in the door she started to pick on me. She even admitted that she was picking on me. I am barely 5' 1 inch tall, and I am 60 pounds overweight with the illnesses (diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure) associated with being obese. And she's trying to tell me that I don't need the surgery and that all I need to lose is 40 pounds. I told her I was sick of taking these medications and that I feel these co-morbitities and medications I have to take are inhibiting my weight loss, but it seemed as if she was listening to what I was saying and that she wanted to get her opinion across. I guess it's easy for her to tell me this seeing that she was a very skinny person who obviously does not have the chronic illnesses I have. Anyway, she told me that she was going to recommend that I reconsider having the surgery, but that the final decision would be between my surgeon and me. I hope everything works out for me. I keep praying. It seems like everything so far has fallen into place, with the exception of yesterday's meeting.
Good Luck on your surgery. I'm sure you'll keep us all posted.
Rose
Oh dear, Rose...It seems odd that she was able to make her "diagnosis" of you before she had time to go over her notes and everything. I think the "role" of the psych eval is to determine if you understand the risks and are able to be compliant once you've had the surgery.
Hope everything works out for you....
Rebecca
Hope everything works out for you....
Rebecca
Thanks, Rebecca.
Yeah, she really wasn't listening to me. I told her that I was already making good choices so I can get down to my 5 percent before giving me a surgery date, but she kept asking me why I think I'll succeed with surgery when I'm not making the choices I need to make to be successful! She also kept saying that she'll zip her mouth, but she kept going on and on. Then she was saying it's a horrible way to lose weight and asked if I want to be vomiting for the rest of my life!
Yeah, she really wasn't listening to me. I told her that I was already making good choices so I can get down to my 5 percent before giving me a surgery date, but she kept asking me why I think I'll succeed with surgery when I'm not making the choices I need to make to be successful! She also kept saying that she'll zip her mouth, but she kept going on and on. Then she was saying it's a horrible way to lose weight and asked if I want to be vomiting for the rest of my life!
Hi Rose, thank you for your well wishes. My advice to you is don't give up. If your doctor's are not supportive - find a doctor who is. It sounds like the surgery would benefit you if you do have the co-morbilities that meet the insurance requirement! I would want the surgery if I were you! But I am not you and if this is truly what you want and need to live a happier and healthier longer life - than please do not give up. It took me alot of juggling to make it though this process also - but I'm very happy that I didn't give up and I finally won out. The battle will be well worth it. I don't know where you live - but I have a marvelous doctor out near Maple Valley, Covington area and she is highly supportive of WLS! If you want her name and number let me know. After all the "crap" I went through I want to help everyone anyway I can.
Have you got a copy of your own specific insurance to know exactly what your requirements are? Make sure you do. Does your insurance require you to have six months or a year medically supervised with an MD weight loss program with nutritional, exercise, behaviorial modification, etc.? Make sure you check that out - mine was not documented enough for insurance and I had to start over. Just my weight and she's dieting was not enough for insurance. Much more had to be documented. Hope this helps.
ragadolly/donna
Have you got a copy of your own specific insurance to know exactly what your requirements are? Make sure you do. Does your insurance require you to have six months or a year medically supervised with an MD weight loss program with nutritional, exercise, behaviorial modification, etc.? Make sure you check that out - mine was not documented enough for insurance and I had to start over. Just my weight and she's dieting was not enough for insurance. Much more had to be documented. Hope this helps.
ragadolly/donna
Hi Nicole,
Yep it's amazing! I just wrote back to another post. She just got her approval through Dr. Shrinkath and her surgery date is May 13th. That's really fast. Darn near makes me want to switch doctor's to get it over with quicker. Well not really, I really do like Dr. Oh and his sense of humor. From what more I know his bedside manner isn't great (but heck I figure I will be pretty out of it and won't really care anyhow), but I've also been told by hundreds that Dr. Oh has magical, steadfast, surgical hands and that's most important to me. Heck from what I'm also hearing is most all the surgeons in Western Washington are great.
Best of luck to you too! We'll both soon be on the loosers bench.
donna/ragadolly
Yep it's amazing! I just wrote back to another post. She just got her approval through Dr. Shrinkath and her surgery date is May 13th. That's really fast. Darn near makes me want to switch doctor's to get it over with quicker. Well not really, I really do like Dr. Oh and his sense of humor. From what more I know his bedside manner isn't great (but heck I figure I will be pretty out of it and won't really care anyhow), but I've also been told by hundreds that Dr. Oh has magical, steadfast, surgical hands and that's most important to me. Heck from what I'm also hearing is most all the surgeons in Western Washington are great.
Best of luck to you too! We'll both soon be on the loosers bench.
donna/ragadolly