Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Confirmation
Today was my upper GI. The radiologist confirmed there is some esophageal dilation and his recommendation is no more tightening of the band.
So the truth is out there now. I am a confirmed Lap-Band failure. Not sure what my next move is as I won't follow up with the bariatric specialist until next week sometime. If revision is recommended, I may look back at Johns Hopkins as I'm not sure I want this particular practice cutting on me. The hospital they are affiliated with doesn't have the greatest reputation around here for one, and secondly, I'm not sure they offer the procedure I'm currently considering.
*sigh*
So the truth is out there now. I am a confirmed Lap-Band failure. Not sure what my next move is as I won't follow up with the bariatric specialist until next week sometime. If revision is recommended, I may look back at Johns Hopkins as I'm not sure I want this particular practice cutting on me. The hospital they are affiliated with doesn't have the greatest reputation around here for one, and secondly, I'm not sure they offer the procedure I'm currently considering.
*sigh*
Friday, November 4, 2011
It Shouldn't Be This Hard
getting follow up care, that is. As I posted previously, getting post surgical follow up as a transient military spouse has been a challenge that I honestly did not foresee, nor was I ever warned about. I'm not sure it would have changed my mind about having weight loss surgery, but it may have changed the type of surgery I had.
Anyways, as I posted last, I have been fighting with the staff at Johns Hopkins and I thought it had been resolved. However, I was wrong. I received a voicemail yesterday stating that my the physician that had agreed to see me was not familiar with the "AP Lap-Band". He would still do a consult if I would consider revision. Seriously?! I researched this doctor and his bio was all about how he was one of the leading surgeons in pioneering "Lap-Band" surgery in the US. Not "Realize Band" but specifically Lap-Band and honestly isn't the mechanism behind both bands the same? At this point I was very near the brink of tears due to my sheer frustration with the situation. An eye-roll punctuated the "WTF-ever!" sentiment running through my head as I hung up the phone. So, out of desperation I called another bariatric place I had heard of expecting another fight.
What I got was a pleasant surprise.
When the person answered the phone, my on the brink of tears self did my best to calmly explain my situation:
Military spouse with procedure done in one state, follow up in another and recent transplant to this area with concerns of possible slippage or erosion due to the epigastric pain I am having just to the left of the xiphoid process under my ribcage. Will they see me?
Their answer was yes. They scheduled me an appointment for this coming Wednesday. No bullshit administrative fees to line their own pockets, no "well we didn't do it so we won't touch you" attitudes. Just a "how can we help" attitude and it was such a relief. Her staff took care of me in less than 5 minutes while I had been going round after round with Johns Hopkins. That my friends, is what patient centered medical home is all about and this physician and her office will be receiving a letter of appreciation for treating me as a person and not a procedure or a paycheck.
Of course, my next call was to my insurance company which is contracted with Johns Hopkins and I was almost sure this new physician wouldn't be covered since she's affiliated with a different health care system, but to my surprise she is an "in network" provider. I called my PCM for a new referral to the new surgeon and they were also awesome, faxing it over today for me. So here's hoping I am finally able to get some serious follow up and keep moving on this journey.
Tomorrow is Zumba with a new friend (she's teaching). But it's early for a weekend (9:00), so good night!
Anyways, as I posted last, I have been fighting with the staff at Johns Hopkins and I thought it had been resolved. However, I was wrong. I received a voicemail yesterday stating that my the physician that had agreed to see me was not familiar with the "AP Lap-Band". He would still do a consult if I would consider revision. Seriously?! I researched this doctor and his bio was all about how he was one of the leading surgeons in pioneering "Lap-Band" surgery in the US. Not "Realize Band" but specifically Lap-Band and honestly isn't the mechanism behind both bands the same? At this point I was very near the brink of tears due to my sheer frustration with the situation. An eye-roll punctuated the "WTF-ever!" sentiment running through my head as I hung up the phone. So, out of desperation I called another bariatric place I had heard of expecting another fight.
What I got was a pleasant surprise.
When the person answered the phone, my on the brink of tears self did my best to calmly explain my situation:
Military spouse with procedure done in one state, follow up in another and recent transplant to this area with concerns of possible slippage or erosion due to the epigastric pain I am having just to the left of the xiphoid process under my ribcage. Will they see me?
Their answer was yes. They scheduled me an appointment for this coming Wednesday. No bullshit administrative fees to line their own pockets, no "well we didn't do it so we won't touch you" attitudes. Just a "how can we help" attitude and it was such a relief. Her staff took care of me in less than 5 minutes while I had been going round after round with Johns Hopkins. That my friends, is what patient centered medical home is all about and this physician and her office will be receiving a letter of appreciation for treating me as a person and not a procedure or a paycheck.
Of course, my next call was to my insurance company which is contracted with Johns Hopkins and I was almost sure this new physician wouldn't be covered since she's affiliated with a different health care system, but to my surprise she is an "in network" provider. I called my PCM for a new referral to the new surgeon and they were also awesome, faxing it over today for me. So here's hoping I am finally able to get some serious follow up and keep moving on this journey.
Tomorrow is Zumba with a new friend (she's teaching). But it's early for a weekend (9:00), so good night!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
A Public Service Announcement
If you are a military spouse considering bariatric surgery and you will be moving frequently...this is for you.
As you can see from my ticker, I have been banded for 18 months. In those 18 months, 12 months have been spent with no kind of follow-up due to moves and bariatric specialists in the new areas not wanting to see me because I did not have the surgery with them.
I had my surgery in April 2010 at Tallgrass Surgical Center in Topeka, KS. The surgeons and staff there are great! However, due to my husband's career choice, we ended up with orders to move to Florida at the the end of May 2010. I had a a quick post op check up a week after surgery and then 3 weeks later, I went in and received my first fill (3cc in a 10cc band).
When I got to Florida June 1st, I started looking for a new specialist to follow up with. One wanted a $450 "administrative fee" that was not covered by insurance (Tricare Standard). The second "only" wanted $250 for his administrative fee. He came highly recommended, so I went with him and because we were going to be there for such a short amount of time, the fee ended up being waived....but not until after I had saved up and went to the first appointment (about 5 months after my last visit with my surgeon in KS). I think I got to see him 3 times and received a fill each time. When I left Florida at the end of May 2011, I had 5cc in my 10cc band.
So we arrive in Maryland in June 2011. The search starts again. I think I'll make it easier on myself and go with a version of Tricare Prime that will allow me to use the Johns Hopkins system. As previously posted, I was able to maintain throughout the move until we got settled. I got a referral from my Primary Care Physician in August. I didn't get around to calling the specialist until the beginning of September. The first words out of the person on the other line's mouth were "We won't see you. You didn't have your procedure done here."
My response:
"Really?! You accept a health insurance plan only offered to military families...who by the very nature of the servicemember's career are very transient because we move with the needs of the Army...but you won't see someone who had the surgery somewhere else? What happens to your patients who move away? Do you really just implant a medical device in people and say "good luck" if they move? Would you want your patient's treated that way? Would you want to be treated that way?"
So then she informs me they have a "process" and if I can fax that info to her she will submit it to the director and he will decide if they will see me. Fast forward three weeks after I fax the information and I have still not heard anything, I call to check on the status. She doesn't know but when she hears something, she'll call me. Another week later, i still haven't heard anything and had to make a visit to my PCP for another acute issue and mentioned my experience. He gets a little upset because just days before the Chief of Surgery for this group had been saying how they really wanted to start seeing more of the patients on the same plan I am on. My PCP talks with his receptionist to make a phone call. Apparently the phone call didn't get too far, so my PCP ended up sending an email to a specific doctor and his receptionist calls to give me his name. I then call back to the surgeon's to schedule. Now my info is missing...but I have a different person on the line and I after going through the above spiel again, I mention my PCP is involved and has worked it out with a specific surgeon. She does a little checking and low and behold! I'm right! So since my info was all missing, I had to fax my records once again and then fill out new patient info which I faxed back. This is all over a month after I originally faxed the requested info and I still don't have an appointment. Hopefully, that will get straightened out tomorrow.
So....long story short:
If you are an active duty family member who is likely to be moving every few years, be aware that recieving follow up care can be a very real challenge.
On another note:
I am hoping the appointment is sooner rather than later and I am hoping for some imaging with contrast. Again I'm having problems with pain on the left side of my stomach, similar to the pain I had pre-surgery that I think was related to the hiatal hernia that was repaired. I'm also concerned about possible slippage or erosion and am still considering revision to bypass. We will see.
As you can see from my ticker, I have been banded for 18 months. In those 18 months, 12 months have been spent with no kind of follow-up due to moves and bariatric specialists in the new areas not wanting to see me because I did not have the surgery with them.
I had my surgery in April 2010 at Tallgrass Surgical Center in Topeka, KS. The surgeons and staff there are great! However, due to my husband's career choice, we ended up with orders to move to Florida at the the end of May 2010. I had a a quick post op check up a week after surgery and then 3 weeks later, I went in and received my first fill (3cc in a 10cc band).
When I got to Florida June 1st, I started looking for a new specialist to follow up with. One wanted a $450 "administrative fee" that was not covered by insurance (Tricare Standard). The second "only" wanted $250 for his administrative fee. He came highly recommended, so I went with him and because we were going to be there for such a short amount of time, the fee ended up being waived....but not until after I had saved up and went to the first appointment (about 5 months after my last visit with my surgeon in KS). I think I got to see him 3 times and received a fill each time. When I left Florida at the end of May 2011, I had 5cc in my 10cc band.
So we arrive in Maryland in June 2011. The search starts again. I think I'll make it easier on myself and go with a version of Tricare Prime that will allow me to use the Johns Hopkins system. As previously posted, I was able to maintain throughout the move until we got settled. I got a referral from my Primary Care Physician in August. I didn't get around to calling the specialist until the beginning of September. The first words out of the person on the other line's mouth were "We won't see you. You didn't have your procedure done here."
My response:
"Really?! You accept a health insurance plan only offered to military families...who by the very nature of the servicemember's career are very transient because we move with the needs of the Army...but you won't see someone who had the surgery somewhere else? What happens to your patients who move away? Do you really just implant a medical device in people and say "good luck" if they move? Would you want your patient's treated that way? Would you want to be treated that way?"
So then she informs me they have a "process" and if I can fax that info to her she will submit it to the director and he will decide if they will see me. Fast forward three weeks after I fax the information and I have still not heard anything, I call to check on the status. She doesn't know but when she hears something, she'll call me. Another week later, i still haven't heard anything and had to make a visit to my PCP for another acute issue and mentioned my experience. He gets a little upset because just days before the Chief of Surgery for this group had been saying how they really wanted to start seeing more of the patients on the same plan I am on. My PCP talks with his receptionist to make a phone call. Apparently the phone call didn't get too far, so my PCP ended up sending an email to a specific doctor and his receptionist calls to give me his name. I then call back to the surgeon's to schedule. Now my info is missing...but I have a different person on the line and I after going through the above spiel again, I mention my PCP is involved and has worked it out with a specific surgeon. She does a little checking and low and behold! I'm right! So since my info was all missing, I had to fax my records once again and then fill out new patient info which I faxed back. This is all over a month after I originally faxed the requested info and I still don't have an appointment. Hopefully, that will get straightened out tomorrow.
So....long story short:
If you are an active duty family member who is likely to be moving every few years, be aware that recieving follow up care can be a very real challenge.
On another note:
I am hoping the appointment is sooner rather than later and I am hoping for some imaging with contrast. Again I'm having problems with pain on the left side of my stomach, similar to the pain I had pre-surgery that I think was related to the hiatal hernia that was repaired. I'm also concerned about possible slippage or erosion and am still considering revision to bypass. We will see.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
The Confession
Pretty much I'm just posting to admit the truth. I am a Lap-Band failure. I am still stuck in the same 5 pound plateau that I have been for over a year. Again, another move and it's been at least 3 months since I've seen a bariatric specialist. I'm pretty sure my pouch is now stretched to a full size stomach. There isn't much I can't eat (except sandwiches made with bread). I will have to call this week to set up an appointment as I finally got a referral. I'm tossing around the idea of having surgical revision to gastric bypass. But honestly, I've just pretty much given up. This fat chick isn't getting skinny and will forever be a fat chick.
As for the rest of my life, we have made the move to Maryland and things have gone much smoother than the move to Florida. I actually start work with the health clinic here on Tuesday. I'm also looking into going back to school in the fall. I was only going to do an associate's degree but the school here I still wouldn't be eligible to start until Fall 2013. So I think I'm going to go for my bachelor's instead and should hopefully be done at the same time as if I sat around waiting. I'm still looking into the area schools and seeing what kind of courses I could take through the colleges here on post (the gen ed stuff).
Munchkin and Monster are attending private school here. That is something Hubster and I thought we would do. However with the public school we were zoned for and the uncertainies of Monster having a slot in the child development center here on post, it was the best decision. They are both doing very well so far (last week was their first week).
We've had some adventures here in Maryland, already. Namely the earthquake that was felt from the Carolinas to New York and then Irene. We were very lucky with Irene. We did not lose power at all. It's very strange how just outside the gates the damage was much worse than the installation received. God had his hand over us. As for the earthquake, it was over before we really knew what was going on. Honestly, my first thought was "What are the guys blowing up today?". LOL
You probably won't see much from me as there just isn't much to report. I hope you all have a great time at the BOOBs convention! I just wanted to say hi and let you all know that I do still follow you and think of you often!
As for the rest of my life, we have made the move to Maryland and things have gone much smoother than the move to Florida. I actually start work with the health clinic here on Tuesday. I'm also looking into going back to school in the fall. I was only going to do an associate's degree but the school here I still wouldn't be eligible to start until Fall 2013. So I think I'm going to go for my bachelor's instead and should hopefully be done at the same time as if I sat around waiting. I'm still looking into the area schools and seeing what kind of courses I could take through the colleges here on post (the gen ed stuff).
Munchkin and Monster are attending private school here. That is something Hubster and I thought we would do. However with the public school we were zoned for and the uncertainies of Monster having a slot in the child development center here on post, it was the best decision. They are both doing very well so far (last week was their first week).
We've had some adventures here in Maryland, already. Namely the earthquake that was felt from the Carolinas to New York and then Irene. We were very lucky with Irene. We did not lose power at all. It's very strange how just outside the gates the damage was much worse than the installation received. God had his hand over us. As for the earthquake, it was over before we really knew what was going on. Honestly, my first thought was "What are the guys blowing up today?". LOL
You probably won't see much from me as there just isn't much to report. I hope you all have a great time at the BOOBs convention! I just wanted to say hi and let you all know that I do still follow you and think of you often!
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