I am currently in my second year of this merry-go- round. I am a 58 year old single woman and have problems with very high cholesteral, high blood pressure and severe sleep apnea.  

I have had and used a CPAP for 3 years now, and was STILL required to have an additional sleep study,(which makes a total of FIVE at $5000 each+$500 to have it READ) I've had the upper GI, Chest X-ray (twice)two sets of breathing tests, and four additional visits with a pulmonologist, a calcium score, a nuclear stress test, venus dopplar ultrasound, bone density test, my gen practitioner has written TWO letters of reccomendation and I have completed the 6 months of a medically supervised diet with the GP filling out paperwork for each month. I also attended the ONE mandantory in house support group meeting. I had an additional one on one meeting with the in house nutritionist, and three visits to a cardiologist for clearance from HIM.

The psyche evaluation is also required to be in-house (University of Pennsylvania) and required a LIFETIME diet history. I was a fat kid with fat parents and 8 younger fat siblings.... as you can imagine...the 45 minute questioniare took me about 4 hours to complete.  I mean for GAWD'S sake.... I"M 58!!!!!

Now they have decided that I will need AT LEAST six sessions of Psychotherapy because the 30 year old who evaluated me feels I need to learn additional coping skills(i guess because I neither drink or smoke and have never experimented with drugs). They would also like me to attend their in-house medically supervised diet program and volunteer to report to them for the next 5 years after all is done.

Honestly.... I feel like I am about to explode. each one of these visits requires a full day of my time and several train and bus rides into thecity. I will admit that I DO have problems with young girls in $2000 pumps twirling their hair and telling me that they "just want what's best " for me. Like Um, you know .... taking a hot bubble bath with scented candles? 

The problem is that while I have very little income, I have VERY good health insurance, and I really feel that HUP is milking it to death round out their budget deficit.

What I wonder is how many of the folks who are treated in this way are single women? I don't recall any of the guys being required to undergo all this additional bulls**t. Both of my friendswho have had the surgery started the process long after I did, and are both now 3-4 months out and doing well.  Both of them however, are married.