MsPatooti
3/31/09
I shouldnt be surprised but Dr Scarborough's office called and changed my surgery date to April 21st. So it will be one week later. Frustrated, but feeling like lets just get this done.
3/5/09
I had an appointment with Terry Scarborough and he agreed to do the Gastric Sleeve and I have a date of April 14th to do the surgery. Finally.
January 2009
The past year has been frustrating trying to get the surgery done. Finally, in January, Dr Spivak refused to do either Gastric Byass or Gastric Sleeve. My rheumatologist referred me to Terry Scarborough and personally called him to get me in.
10/31/08 353 lbs
After going to one of Dr Spivaks seminars I also had an appointment and started working on getting my money together to pay cash for the surgery. In the latter part of June I developed an odd pocket of fluid in my lung. After many months of dealing with this the doctors decided that it is related to my psoriatic arthritis. I still have the pocket of fluid but I am released to have surgery. Meanwhile, after so many years of trying to get insurance to cover this, the company I work for will be covering the surgery. They are self insured so they make the decision on what to cover. So now I will put my surgery off a bit longer and will get it covered by insurance. YAY!
3/8/08 353lbs
After several attempts to get insurance to approve gastric bypass, I have decided to pay cash. And use Dr Spivak for the surgery.
Submitted letter to the company I work for. They have a clause regarding obesity treatments in the insurance. Waiting for approval. Hopefully after that, I will be able to move forward and make an appointment with Dr Spivak.
5/28/05 362 lbs
I have been unsuccessful with the band. I know it works for some, but it has NOT worked for me. I went through a period of great depression, where I really beat myself up about not being successful with it. It really did a number on me. I now realize I should have pursued the gastric bypass. I guess there would have been no way to know how it would end up. My insurance has an exclusion on the surgery. I have not given up yet on it.
2/5/03
Unfortunately, after weighing at the first of January, I had gained back some of the weight I had lost. There is a tricky period, after you have healed from your surgery, and before you get your first fill. You regain your apetite, because the swelling has gone down from the trauma of surgery, and you dont yet have a fill or adjustment, so you are not so restricted. Thats what happened to me. And being the holidays, I did overindulge myself. So, I went for my first fill at the end of January, and it did make a difference. I am still not as restricted as I would like to be, but i get fuller faster and stay fuller longer. It can take up to three fills or adjustments to get to that perfect restricted point.
12/23/02
Everything is going great. Thanksgiving was good. I was able to eat what ever I wanted, just much smaller portions. Just prior to thanksgiving, I weighed in at 316 pounds, that is a 19 pound loss. Very happy with that. Since then, I have increasingly been able to eat more. That is as I have healed, swelling has decreased. Now it is time to get a 'fill', where the doctor will inject saline into my band, to make it expand and become tighter. That is how the band is adjustable. So, I have the date set for that, in January.
***Dr Jose Rodriguez:
My first impression of him was through word of mouth testimonials from patients of his. And he lived up to everyone. Experienced, very down to earth, and put me at east immediately upon meeting him. I personally had done so much research on using him, the procedure, and what i needed to do afterwards, I did not require information from him. He does not have structured after care per se. But he is always just an email away from answering ALL questions of his patients. Also, for aftercare information, there is a big network of patients providing information and support.
I hate to just rate my experience with him as PERFECT, as I dont believe anyone is really perfect. But my experience with him was really great. Great bedside manner, and he has alot of experience and I would recommend highly recommend him. Having said that, weight loss surgery is a big decision, and should be made only after having researched all avenues available.
11/8/02
Adjustable Gastric Band applied laparascopically. Everything went according to plan. Five small incisions, no pain, just muscle soreness. Healing nicely at the moment. My post op diet consists of liquids for two weeks, mush for two weeks, then start adding solid foods. Pre op diet consisted of three weeks of a low carb atkins type diet, then one week out from surgery date yogurt and water diet. I was a high BMI patient, and Dr Rodriguez likes those patients to do the yogurt diet, to help shrink the liver. It was hard, but I did it.
9/02
After four months, my employer backed down from the possibility of covering my surgery, saying IF we cover it, it will not be until next year. I decided to NOT wait on them. Too many health problems. Decided on going to Mexico for the surgery.
4/13/02
Hoping to have the Adjustable Gastric Band. About to start getting paperwork together and make an appointment with Dr Spivak. Went to Dr Spivaks seminar on 4/12 and it helped me to decide to go for it.
Surgery 11/8/02
Hospital Reviews
- (Acuna, Mexico, ) - Hospital Ejeza
Surgeon Info:
Surgeon: Jose Rodriguez
My first impression of him was through word of mouth testimonials from patients of his. And he lived up to everyone. Experienced, very down to earth, and put me at east immediately upon meeting him. I personally had done so much research on using him, the procedure, and what i needed to do afterwards, I did not require information from him. He does not have structured after care per se. But he is always just an email away from answering ALL questions of his patients. Also, for aftercare information, there is a big network of patients providing information and support. I hate to just rate my experience with him as PERFECT, as I dont believe anyone is really perfect. But my experience with him was really great. Great bedside manner, and he has alot of experience and I would recommend highly recommend him. Having said that, weight loss surgery is a big decision, and should be made only after having researched all avenues available.
Insurer Info:
United Healthcare, Choice
My employer is self insured. Meaning, if the policy states some procedure is excluded, the employer gets the final say so on whether something will be covered or not. After four months, I was told that IF they covered it, it wouldnt be until SOMETIME next year. Considering my sleep apnea, recent diabetes diagnosis, and hypertension, I decided I couldnt wait on them to decide if or when. And decided to go to Mexico to have the procedure done.
