Has Anyone Here Experienced This?

I have been losing weight without the gastric bypass.  so far I have lost 311 pounds and I still have at 294 pounds to lose (I started out at 750 and I am now down to 439 pounds).  I have been told I have Lymphedema all all over my body.  Now after losing this much weight, I already have a lot of loose skin.  My stomach has started flattening out and it is hanging really low now and putting a lot of strain on my belly button.  A little over a week ago my belly button got all inflamed.  Several days ago, it ripped and a lot of drainage and blood gushed out of it.  I am in a lot of pain right now.  I saw my doctor about it and he says that it is the weight of the apron with all the excess skin pulling down that has caused this to happen because my belly button is getting too much strain on it.  He says the only thing to prevent this from happening again and to fix it is for me to have the apron surgically removed.  He put me on some antibiotics, but I have a hole in my belly button and clear drainage is still running out of it. The only problem is, I can't afford to pay for it.  I live in the state of California and I am on Medi-Cal (Medicaid).  My doctor talked to someone there about this and he says they say that more than likely they won't pay for it.  They don't pay for skin removal at all, even if you are getting complications from it.  What does someone like me who has no many do to get help for this?  Has anyone else here been through this?

Tarra~~ I worked for the Tulare County Human Services department and handled the Medical cases. As long as the doctor provides good documentation to Medical it will be approved. From what you have discribed you have good reasons. Get you doctor to right up the referral with the documentation and also take pictures of the pannis and if you can see the problems with your umbilical still get those pictures.

Just an update to let you know how things went.  My doctor helped me go through the whole appeal process and as soon as he got the answer, he came over to my house yesterday to let me know.  They turned me down again.  They said it is because I lost the weight on my own and didn't have the gastric bypass. I was supposed to have gastric bypass at UCSF.  After waiting over a year for them to get in touch with me about and unsuccessfully being able to get in touch with them, I figured they weren't going to be calling me and decided to get more serious about my weight loss, which resulted in me losing the weight without a gastric bypass.  Now I am being penalized for it.

Another update - I talked to a county nurse who has been working with me since right before I was placed in a nursing home and a woman that works for an organization that advocates for the disabled.  They said they are going to appeal this and they can get them to pay and I will have my surgery this year.

That's great Tarra! It sounds like you must be in the IHHS then. They are great advocates. Keep up up to date on your surgery and progress.

Tarra .. how are you doing with your weight loss?   Just curious ...     How otherwise are you doing, healthwise?

  I hope you are well and health(ier)! 

Tarra: Follow the advise that the other poster has given to you.  Having a panni will change your life.  You will continue to get infections, sores, fevers, etc. unless you have this taken care of.  In this case you have to fight, and keep fighting until someone listens.   Your PCP will probably be your best advocate.   BTW congratulations on your weight loss.  This quite an accomplishment.  You should be so proud of yourself. Good luck to you. Jeanne