Talk to me About Madigan...

Hi! I know some of you already from my travels around the OH forums. I have a unique situation that I'm hoping someone will have some input on:

We have TriCare, my husband is retired Coast Guard. We normally use civilian facilities, in fact, I don't think I've ever even been to a military hospital. Anyway, for the last two months, I've been going through all the procedures and pre-op for RNY.

This last Monday, I had an RNY - only, I didn't. I went in for surgery and once they had made all the incisions, they found that my small intestine is too short to make the connection to the new stomach. So, because of my particular anatomy, I'm unable to have RNY. They had to close up all the incisions and that was it. It's a rare complication (which means I have a high chance of it happening to me - LOL) but it does happen. My surgeon has done over 2,000 surgeries and this is the second time he's seen this.

So...the only other thing TriCare covers is LapBand. The Band is not for me. I'm nervous at all the complications I'm seeing - plus, I have allergic reactions to everything (in fact, right now, I'm having a terrible allergic reaction to the glue they used to close the incisions!!). I think the Band would be a really bad choice for me.

So, I really think the sleeve is my only choice (and the more research I've done, I think this is a good choice!). But, Tricare does not cover this.

So...we have the option of doing self-pay (ugh). But Madigan is also an option.

My questions are:

How much of the pre-op testing would I have to re-do?
Would the fact that I've already done all of the pre-testing speed things up?
What is the Pathways program? Is this something I would need to do?
I'm supposed to call "Pam?" Does anyone have her number?

Any other thoughts you have on this whole "mess" would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I too am a Coastie wife, and don't know to much about the military facilities.  How ever one of my friends dads had his RNY at Madigan and  I don't think he had to do nearly as much pre-op stuff, and I don't see why they would not allow it.  Other than they are military and don't always make sense, but it is worth a try.  If you google madigan hospital they have a web site, which may give you some info.  But here are a couple of numbers I found  "Patient Representative" 253-968-1145  and  "General Surgery" 253-968-3105.  I hope this helps.
God Bless
Tori

Hi Tori!

I didn't check out their website and it's frustrating b/c I think it's outdated. It says the only surgery they do is the RNY which I know is no longer true - it also says they only do open surgery.

They really need to update that info.

Thanks for the input!!

Not sure how you get into the Madigan system, but once you are you get a referral from your primary care doc, then you go on a waiting list to get into the pathways program.  I am not sure how long the wait list is but once you are through it pathways takes generally 3 - 4 months with a surgery date about 1 month after completion.  One plus to Madigan is the panni is pretty commonly done there, no messing with tricare.

I think you will probably have to redo a lot of the pre testing, most of it is only good for 30 days to 6 months.  But who knows?  They might accept a lot of what you have already done, it is totally worth finding out!! 
It has been along time since I went through and things might have changed, but this is what I remember.
There are also 2 support groups on the base, I have meet a lot or retired military folks there.
Good Luck!!!

LALALAALLALALAA Not listening. LOL Just kidding.

I so don't want to have to do this all again! What an nightmare!

Thanks for your thoughts and sharing your experience.

I started my pathway in Aug of 2008.  I had my surgery (revision from a VBG back in 2003) in April 2009.  I thew up a couple of times a day and had been doing that for a couple of years.  It didn't make any difference whether or not I had a medical condition that required a revision, I had to do all the testing again and go thru the classes. 

But I think that calling Pam is the only way to really get the answers you need. 

Sorry you were a one-in-a-million patient with such a weird situation. 

Good luck and I hope you can find an answer to your problems :-)

It depends on when you finished all of your classes - for Madigan, once you start the pathway, you have to have surgery within 6 months of that date. I just finished up the pathway here and am awaiting my appt with Pam and the surgeon. I've heard nothing but great things about the bariatric team at Madigan and am so glad that I'm having my surgery there, I know you'll be in good hands :)

Pam's number is 253-968-3640

It will ask you to leave a message, and her asst. (Irene or something like that??) is the one who always calls me back. Hopefully you can get some answers to your questions!

Good luck!

Megan

One of my good friends on here had the sleeve and is doing great!!  She had Dr. Beekley perform her surgery(Lap).... As far as the pathways there was another gal in our classes who was also a revision whom was able to skip a huge portion of them due to the fact that she had was a revision so its worth a shot!!  Good Luck and I'm sorry you had to undergo all this!! 

First off, I am sorry to hear that you didn't get to have your surgery the first time around.  Hopefully you will be able to get into the pathway at Madigan.

I had my surgery at Madigan, but I went thru the Bremerton Naval Hospital Pathway.  Not sure if it would be easier for you to travel to one or the other, Regardless, the Pathway at Bremerton is really great and I will tell you a lot of the women in my support groups who have had their surgerys done at Madigan have nothing but wonderful things to say about the doctors up there as well as the surgical staff and the nurses.

I wish you all the best and hope to see you on the other side :)