HELLO Iowans

I had a VBG in July of 1999 and then in December of 1999 I have my first back surgery, January of 2000 my second back surgery and then May 1st, 2001, my third back surgery.  Between my first and second surgery I ended up with nerve damage down my left leg and foot and have been disabled through the Government ever since.  I am a chronic pain patient that has to live on morphine and my pain is getting worse and has been for quite a while.  I do not want to increase my pain medicine - I want to lose this weight that I put back on because of my back surgeries and not being able to do any exercising and my pouch stretching and then again I am also guilty of eating past the pouch.  My co-morbidities have gotten so bad over the last few years that my family doctor agrees with me that if I could get a revision to lose my weight it would help me greatly from having to take more pain medicine as I have been needing for a few years but do not want to do.  My blood pressure has been out of control and we are having trouble getting it contained.  I have urinary incontinence, acid reflux, sleep apnea that has went from a cipap to a bipap, arthritis, severe back pain and painful joints.  I also am taking approximately 10 to 12 different medications a day for diffferent reasons and most goes with my co-morbidites. 

I want a Revision and went to see Dr. Coster last year and was turned down,I believe, because of the psychiatrist.  My co-morbidities have gotten so much more worse my family doctor told me to call Dr. Coster to see if he would reconsider my revision.  I called last Friday and they didn't return my call.  I called back on Monday and was told that since their committee had told me no in the past that they would not reconsider me again for a revision.  If I could have my family doctor refer me to someone else for a second opinion that is what I would have to do.  That is NOT FAIR.  There are people out there that really need to have this done to help them because of their health.  The psychiatrist that I went to was in Grinnell and he and I didn't mesh well at all.  I found out that he is no longer there.  If I had known this was going to happen I would have scheduled closer to home with the psychiatrist I had been seeing for a couple years because of Depression over being so heavy and chronic pain.

I need to know of a Doctor in Iowa that does do VBG revisions and is a UnitedHealthCare provider.  I have found a few doctors but I need to know of the ones that do revisions.  If there is any Iowa buddy out there that has any ideas or advice for me I would love to hear it.

So sorry to hear about your struggles, and I wish I could help you but I know of no doctors who do revisions that I would recommend to you.

Stay strong!

Carol