Cheap is very relative.  IMHO- they are less $ than experienced practicing surgical groups, however, they are not cheap.

You can expect to knock a few thousand off your tummy tuck or other such work. 

I'm doing much, much better now - I still feel a little run down but nothing that I can't deal with - I've been tolerating my one ounce of ricotta cheese or cottage cheese or greek yogurt - I even had 2 teaspoons of scrambled egg and it went down - today I get to continue with the pureed phase for 3 more weeks - I think I'm going to try blended chicken salad with some avocado - I get to have an ounce! I'm actually not missing food very much - it's strange because the further away I get from eating food the less appealing it becomes - I'm sure it won't always be this way so I'm not worried or anything - it's actually easier to just drink protein shakes - I don't have to wait 30 minutes before or 1 hour after - I just sip all day - simple is great!

Is there any way you can change insurances? Dr. A is also a general surgeon so that is prolly why he is listed as in network. No advice other than to check out the insurance board here. Good luck!

Hi Veronica -

Right now your BMI is 35 or 35.9 depending on if you're 185 or 190 - that does put you in the obese category and you do have comorbidities (diabetes, pcos, hypertension) so if your healthcare coverage did include weight loss surgery you would be eligible for coverage.

Trying to get an insurance company to include a coverage that is mandated excluded by your company is an extremely difficult path to travel. I am not an expert but from what I've heard it doesn't get overturned very often... but you would need to investigate that first. Or perhaps talk to someone in HR at at&t and see if they will be putting the rider for coverage on for 2010 (things change all the time!).

Some people self-pay for the surgery if their insurance doesn't cover it (some even travel to Mexico because it is so much less expensive there).

If you poke around this site, there are tons of people who will be able to give you advice. There is a forum called Insurance, Cash pay and financing under weight loss related forums - I've not been there but there might be some good ideas there!

Best of luck to you on your journey!

Oh Maureen - how devistating - divorce is like death and it is not easy ever.... Not to get too personal, but have you tried marriage counseling? After 23 years - if there is still love, perhaps there is a way to reinvent your relationship and find your back to each other... I will pray that what is ever best for you both is what your ultimate outcome is.....

I am so glad to hear you are meeting with Dr. R - I also read an interesting fact about how if the stoma is stretched it can give you an insatiable appetite

Check this link out http://www.pamtremble.com/uploads/No_drinking_with_meals.pdf

Perhaps your stoma is stretched and a little stitch will make it better?

.... "there's the risk of stretching the stoma (the opening between the pouch and intestines). If you have dense food that has not begun to be digested in the pouch and you drink water you are FORCING that dense food to be pushed through the stoma prematurely. That opening is only about the size of a ladies index finger, but if you push food through the opening before its ready to go, you'll eventually stretch that opening. This is FAR more worrisome than stretching your pouch. Once it's stretched it can become the same diameter as the pouch itself... essentially creating one big long tube that food can be packed into at meals. Basically a 20-foot long stomach."...

You are STRONG - that needs to be your mantra now more then ever - you are in my prayers and thoughts.