Recent Posts
Hi! I was diagnosed with Wg in feb of 2005 but I had it way before that. I was just dx with lupus as well. At the time of surgery Medicare would not cover the sleeve and I was too afraid to have the bypass due to bowel issues with Wg. The band sucks for me. Where do you live?
See ya,400s, 90s,80s,70s, 60s, 50s, 40s, 30s, 20s, 10s 300s!!!!
Hello, my name is Katie. I was diagnosed with WG 11/2 years ago. WG is attacking my lungs and sinuses mostly but, I just had my first real flare up. My question is why did you not have gastric bypass or the sleeve?? If you don't mind me asking. I hope you are doing well!!
Hope everything is going well with plastic, I know you will feel much better getting rid of that loose skin .
I was dx with Lupus (SLE) almost 10 years ago....I had RNY 5 months ago. At one point I was very sick...but after finding a great Lupus Dr. and getting it under control...I found an equally wonderful Dr for my WLS. I had hernia repair and 10 inch of my colon removed due to diverticulitis (my colon was attached to my abdominal wall in 5 places) I had class C esophageal erosion due to acid refux 3 years before...since my surgery....no acid reflux, down 60 lbs, colon is healed. I knew I would never be able to take some drugs again...but it was worth the change for me
hamptons11937-
Since you already have the VSG, which is the top half of the Duodenal Switch, find a good DS surgeon and get yourself the intestinal DS re-routing to go along with it!
The trauma of surgery can set of major flares, but as long as your surgeon knows you have lupus, precautions can be taken, like having a longer hospital stay, so you can be treated right away if you do go into a major flare. You may even be able to have it laparoscopically, if you find a surgeon who does the DS that way. It's still trauma nonetheless, but not as much as an open abdominal surgery would be.
HW 405/SW 397/CW 138/GW 160 Do the research! Check the stats!
The DS is *THE* solution to Severe Morbid Obesity!
Divine Lady-
I was diagnosed with lupus (SLE) for almost a decade before I had my Duodenal Switch, and had no vitamin deficiencies when SLE was diagnosed.
My DS...at least for me...has made coping with SLE easier, as Plaquenil did not work to keep flares down. All I had was prednisone, and that helped with my weight increase to 405. I was in the mid 200's prior. Still SMO, but not as much as after the prednisone regimen.
I did read recently that Plaquenil depletes Vitamin D...and that explains my Vitamin D always coming up low normal or deficient. I have begun taking 100,000 IU of Dry D every day.
DSer's cannot take the oil-filled capsules...we only absorb 20% of all dietary fat ingested, so we would not even absorb those.
HW 405/SW 397/CW 138/GW 160 Do the research! Check the stats!
The DS is *THE* solution to Severe Morbid Obesity!
After nearly losing my mind....
I've got a surgery date!!!!
My plastics will take place December 27th at 10:00 AM at St. Vincent's Hospital, Indianapolis!
I got a call from the assistant today, who said the insurance company was called about the change of location, and told that both hospitals are part of the same corporation, just a different geographical location (about 10 miles worth!). The assistant told me that the insurance company said the change of location would not be a problem, and they will send me a new approval letter indicating the different hospital.
I've had many questions asking how I got the insurance company to approve the plastics. The excess skin has become a medical issue in and of itself, and I have been plagued by several bouts of cellulitis. According to something I read, Severe Morbid Obesity is one risk factor for cellulitis.I never had it when I was SMO. However, I am no longer obese, just overweight, according to the charts. Once the excess skin and fat deposits come off, I will be closer to chart weight.
I have just a little time to get myself together for the surgery, as the hospital is two hours away.
I'm a little concerned about being held in hospital for only 24 hours after the surgery, but I will discuss that with the doctor.
Big ups to G-d for making it all possible!
Now...as lupies, we know that trauma to the body can set off nasty flares, but my surgeon knows this, just like my DS surgeon did. She kept me in the hospital for a full seven days, just to make sure that if I did have a massive flare, I would already be in the hospital and it could be dealt with. Same for my plastics.
HW 405/SW 397/CW 138/GW 160 Do the research! Check the stats!
The DS is *THE* solution to Severe Morbid Obesity!
Hey everyone. I would like to ask if anyone had blood clots and that they are on Coumadin and wanted to do a Lapband. My Hemotology dr doesn't let me. Pls share if someone had the same issue. Thnk in advance
I knew I wasn't going off my rocker! I read this regarding Plaquenil, for anyone who is a DSer and taking Plaquenil for Lupus.
http://www.nutritionfocus.org/vf/healthnotes/HN_live/Drug/Hy droxychloroquine.htm
If the link doesn't work, copy and paste into your browser.
HW 405/SW 397/CW 138/GW 160 Do the research! Check the stats!
The DS is *THE* solution to Severe Morbid Obesity!
I think that's a good idea, but if your doctor codes the labs properly, they should be covered by insurance. If they are notated rule out (r/o) whatever the code is, instead of routine or surgical or intestinal malabsorption, then the insurance should pay for them.
Here's the sheet my surgeon hands out for PCP and other medical providers info:
This list includes labs we have had performed for Duodenal Switch patients. The first group, every 3 to 6 months for life .with retests at 3 months for specific deficiencies. The second group, annually, as long as the first year results were comfortably within normal limits. Primary care physicians, feel free to call with questions.
1st Group
*80053 Comprehensive Metabolic profile: (sodium, potassium, chloride, glucose,BUN, creatinine, calcium, total protein, albumin, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase) (10231)
* 84134 Pre-albumin:
* 7600 Lipid profile: (cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, chol/HDL ratio)
* 10256 Hep panel: includes ALT (SPGT) & GGT)
* 84100 Phosphorous – Inorganic: (718)
* 83735 Magnesium:
* 84550 Uric Acid: (905)
* 7444 Thyroid panel: (T3U, T4, FTI, TSH) (84437; 84443; 84479; 84480)
* 85025 Hemogram with platelets: (1759)
* 7573 Iron: TIBC, % sat
* 83550 Ferritin: (457)
* 84630 Zinc: (945)
* 84446 Vitamin A: (921)
* 82306 Vitamin D: (25-hydroxy) (680)
* 84052 Vitamin B-1: (Thiamin) (4052)
* 84207 Vitamin B-6: (Pyridoxine)
* 7065 Vitamin B-12 & Folate: (82607; 82746)
* 83970 Serum intact: PTH
* 83937 Osteocalcin:
* 84597 Vitamin K:
* 85610 PT:
* 85730 PTT:
2ND GROUP
* 593 LDH:
* 31789 Homocysteine, Cardio:
* 83921 MMA:
* 367 Cortisol:
* 84255 Selenium:
* 84590 Vitamin E:
* 82525 Copper:
For diabetics ONLY:
*496 - HEMOGLOBIN A1C
POSSIBLE DIAGNOSIS CODES
269.2 Hypovitaminosis
268 Vitamin D deficiency
275.40 Calcium deficiency
266.2 Cyanocobalamin deficiency (B12)
281.1 other B12 deficiency anemia
281.0 Pernicious anemia
280.9 Iron-deficiency anemia
281.2 Folate deficiency anemia
285.9 Anemia, unspecified
269.3 Zinc deficiency
244.9 Hypothryoidism
250.0 Diabetes
401.9 Hypertension
276.9 Electrolyte and fluid disorders
272.0 Hypercholesterolemia
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
*579.3 Surgical malabsorption*
*579.8 Intestinal malabsorption *
* Bands or sleeves should not use these codes as they are not accurate.
*Some insurance companies will not pay for any procedure that uses these codes.
HW 405/SW 397/CW 138/GW 160 Do the research! Check the stats!
The DS is *THE* solution to Severe Morbid Obesity!
