Kathy D.
I've had gastirc bypass surgeroy in 1993. Prior to having the surgery I was in an abusive relationnship for years, and when the relationship eneded it made my newborn daughter and myself forced into a homeless shelter. We ended up staying there for a for months until I found us a place to live.
When I did have the surgery in 4/1993 I have just moved out of the shelter and into my own place with my daughter.
I had lost over 150 lbs and I was feeling great. I started getting confidence again and then in time I started dating again on and off.
Over the years I noticed I had started putting on the weight. I started getting depressed and started drkinking more and more. Next thing I knew I was driking heavily and was starting to get drepressed. Also, I have lacked taking the vitamins I told to take after the surgery.
In 2001 - 2002 I started feeling this bad pain on both of my sides. This pain lasted over six months, until I finally broke down and went to the doctor. When I did get the resuls back I fond out I had a few broken ribs and both sides and that was apparently the painI have been feeling for the past several months. I would go to bed fine and wake up with broken ribs. They sent me for blood work and determined that I was totally anemic, malnutritions, cholestrol very low, and basically I was on death beds. It turns out that over the years of not taking my vitamins that it was had made my bones very weak, and fragil. After, about six months of tests and iron IV and finally starting the vitamins again, my body started getting strong again except my liver was messed up. It took me awhile before I fianlly told my doctor about my drinking. Now, she is trying to find a place to help me but the places she did call wouldnt except me because I was still driking. (By, this time I have gain all my weight back and then some. Im back to were I started from). In the begining of 2004 I ended up the flu and didnt drink all that week. Knowing that I wanted to stop and had lasted one week I decided to try the following week and etc, etc.
Here it is now over two years sober and feeling alot better about myself. I had also quit smoking on the same day as drinking May 3, 2004 for drinking, and smoking May 3rd 2006.
It wasnt until last year I have started my serarch again for a doctor who does revisions. Over the year I have search but always gave up when I couldnt find out a doctor, and reminded you I was still drinking around this time. It wasnt until I joined this site OH when I started looking aroung here and I came across a few placed.
I have found a place called Cori Center in Brooklyn that was willing to help me with my revision. They had sent for for the Upper Gi and a EGD testing. When I was finished with those tests I had called them to sent up an appointment up to meet with them. At they time thye have stated that they no longer took my insurance, so here I was back to square one.
They have given me two doctors name that took Cigna (HMO).
I contacted one of the doctors in Florham Park, NJ. I had made an appointment there with one of the doctors. When I went to meet with here she seemed nice. She gave me a list of things that I needed to do and then when I had completed them to call and set up my sugery date. I thought "Wow that is pretty fast". I had called my PCP and mentioned to her about some of the testing that I had to do. She told me that they are the ones that they are suppose to refer me to not here. So, I called back the place a few days later and they mentioned to me that she was no longer there. I am now thinking ok strike two.
I then contacted the othere doctor that Cori Center had given me.
So, I made an appt. with his office on 6/9/06. On that day I didnt know what to expect. I meet with him and he seemed very nice and understanding that I need a revsion done. He said, that he can help me and that I had to finish up the pre op testing. I was so thrilled that finally this journey of searching for someone to help me again is fianlly here.
On 6/21/06 I had my psych eval, and I meet with the nut. Then I had scheduled my other appointments for the week of July 3rd, I had my two day stress test, ultrasound of my gallbladder, blood work, pulmanary testing and the cardio tests done. I took of work for these test. Unfortuantely, the Governor of NJ shut down all state jobs, and I happen to be one of them. So, I was able to get all my tests done and I didnt have to use any of my sick or vac days. Which was good because now I can use them for my sugery.
On 7/7 I meet with the nut again and I had lost 4 lbs. I was so happy. Now that Im finally on the scale it matched the scale that I had just purchased for my home. I also meet with Dr. Jean-Baptitse (surgeon) that same day. He said, all my reports are coming back clearned and that he was sending papers to my insurance co. on 7/10/06, I have to call the office that Friday and find out what is happening. I cant believe that is really happening. Dr. Jean Baptitste stated that he will probably due my surgery by the end of July. WOW!!! that is great. The first time he meet me he also said that by July that is would be done. I didnt belive him considering that I've read other peoples stories and they seem to have a hard time with the insurance co.
Now I cant wait to find out this week If I am approved or not.
Well, I'm not having the surgery on 8/3/06 like, I had hoped for. the reason being is that considering this is a revision my doctor wants to make sure it words the letter correctly to my insurance company. He told me hopfully by the middle of August he would like to do my surgery. So, now I wait again and lets hope and pray that this time I will get an actual date.
My papers were sent to the insurance company on 8/8/06 and on 8/10/06 I found out I was approved, and my surgery date is 8/23/06 at 11:30. Yippy, I am so excited I can't wait until I join the losing side. I can tell you that a little anxiety kicked in when I found out that I was approved and received my date. I'll be glad when it is all over.
Well I had my surgery on 8/23/06. I stayed in the hospital overnight. The only thing I didnt like was the dry heaves after I woke up from surgery. They seemed to of lasted for hours. They gave me medicine for it to go away but it didnt help. By the evening it finally went away. I was in a little pain here and there. I was able to get out of bed and walk down the hallway with a little help from the nurse. I was released after noon the following day.
When I returned home evything was fine. I was moving slowly and slight pain fromt he ride home. I started out on clear liquid diet again. At first I started out with just little sips of water for the first day. Then I ended up having sf jello that seemed to last me all day to finish one. As days went on I was able to eat the jello only in a few hours.
Its been two weeks since I had the surgery and things seem to be doing ok. I went for my follow up appt. on 9/1/06 and I had lost 15 lbs since surgery and I feel good.
When I did have the surgery in 4/1993 I have just moved out of the shelter and into my own place with my daughter.
I had lost over 150 lbs and I was feeling great. I started getting confidence again and then in time I started dating again on and off.
Over the years I noticed I had started putting on the weight. I started getting depressed and started drkinking more and more. Next thing I knew I was driking heavily and was starting to get drepressed. Also, I have lacked taking the vitamins I told to take after the surgery.
In 2001 - 2002 I started feeling this bad pain on both of my sides. This pain lasted over six months, until I finally broke down and went to the doctor. When I did get the resuls back I fond out I had a few broken ribs and both sides and that was apparently the painI have been feeling for the past several months. I would go to bed fine and wake up with broken ribs. They sent me for blood work and determined that I was totally anemic, malnutritions, cholestrol very low, and basically I was on death beds. It turns out that over the years of not taking my vitamins that it was had made my bones very weak, and fragil. After, about six months of tests and iron IV and finally starting the vitamins again, my body started getting strong again except my liver was messed up. It took me awhile before I fianlly told my doctor about my drinking. Now, she is trying to find a place to help me but the places she did call wouldnt except me because I was still driking. (By, this time I have gain all my weight back and then some. Im back to were I started from). In the begining of 2004 I ended up the flu and didnt drink all that week. Knowing that I wanted to stop and had lasted one week I decided to try the following week and etc, etc.
Here it is now over two years sober and feeling alot better about myself. I had also quit smoking on the same day as drinking May 3, 2004 for drinking, and smoking May 3rd 2006.
It wasnt until last year I have started my serarch again for a doctor who does revisions. Over the year I have search but always gave up when I couldnt find out a doctor, and reminded you I was still drinking around this time. It wasnt until I joined this site OH when I started looking aroung here and I came across a few placed.
I have found a place called Cori Center in Brooklyn that was willing to help me with my revision. They had sent for for the Upper Gi and a EGD testing. When I was finished with those tests I had called them to sent up an appointment up to meet with them. At they time thye have stated that they no longer took my insurance, so here I was back to square one.
They have given me two doctors name that took Cigna (HMO).
I contacted one of the doctors in Florham Park, NJ. I had made an appointment there with one of the doctors. When I went to meet with here she seemed nice. She gave me a list of things that I needed to do and then when I had completed them to call and set up my sugery date. I thought "Wow that is pretty fast". I had called my PCP and mentioned to her about some of the testing that I had to do. She told me that they are the ones that they are suppose to refer me to not here. So, I called back the place a few days later and they mentioned to me that she was no longer there. I am now thinking ok strike two.
I then contacted the othere doctor that Cori Center had given me.
So, I made an appt. with his office on 6/9/06. On that day I didnt know what to expect. I meet with him and he seemed very nice and understanding that I need a revsion done. He said, that he can help me and that I had to finish up the pre op testing. I was so thrilled that finally this journey of searching for someone to help me again is fianlly here.
On 6/21/06 I had my psych eval, and I meet with the nut. Then I had scheduled my other appointments for the week of July 3rd, I had my two day stress test, ultrasound of my gallbladder, blood work, pulmanary testing and the cardio tests done. I took of work for these test. Unfortuantely, the Governor of NJ shut down all state jobs, and I happen to be one of them. So, I was able to get all my tests done and I didnt have to use any of my sick or vac days. Which was good because now I can use them for my sugery.
On 7/7 I meet with the nut again and I had lost 4 lbs. I was so happy. Now that Im finally on the scale it matched the scale that I had just purchased for my home. I also meet with Dr. Jean-Baptitse (surgeon) that same day. He said, all my reports are coming back clearned and that he was sending papers to my insurance co. on 7/10/06, I have to call the office that Friday and find out what is happening. I cant believe that is really happening. Dr. Jean Baptitste stated that he will probably due my surgery by the end of July. WOW!!! that is great. The first time he meet me he also said that by July that is would be done. I didnt belive him considering that I've read other peoples stories and they seem to have a hard time with the insurance co.
Now I cant wait to find out this week If I am approved or not.
Well, I'm not having the surgery on 8/3/06 like, I had hoped for. the reason being is that considering this is a revision my doctor wants to make sure it words the letter correctly to my insurance company. He told me hopfully by the middle of August he would like to do my surgery. So, now I wait again and lets hope and pray that this time I will get an actual date.
My papers were sent to the insurance company on 8/8/06 and on 8/10/06 I found out I was approved, and my surgery date is 8/23/06 at 11:30. Yippy, I am so excited I can't wait until I join the losing side. I can tell you that a little anxiety kicked in when I found out that I was approved and received my date. I'll be glad when it is all over.
Well I had my surgery on 8/23/06. I stayed in the hospital overnight. The only thing I didnt like was the dry heaves after I woke up from surgery. They seemed to of lasted for hours. They gave me medicine for it to go away but it didnt help. By the evening it finally went away. I was in a little pain here and there. I was able to get out of bed and walk down the hallway with a little help from the nurse. I was released after noon the following day.
When I returned home evything was fine. I was moving slowly and slight pain fromt he ride home. I started out on clear liquid diet again. At first I started out with just little sips of water for the first day. Then I ended up having sf jello that seemed to last me all day to finish one. As days went on I was able to eat the jello only in a few hours.
Its been two weeks since I had the surgery and things seem to be doing ok. I went for my follow up appt. on 9/1/06 and I had lost 15 lbs since surgery and I feel good.
I havent been on in a while it is now 6 months since surgery and I have lost about 80 lbs now. It seems that there are some months that I just lose a few lbs and other months I lose a lot more. Right now it seems to have slowed down, but Im trying to push myself harder this month to make sure I lose more than I have been these past few months. I was in a car accident a few months ago and I injuried my back and neck so sometimes exercising does bother it alot though. Im in physical therapy and go to a chiropractor so hopfully soon I should be back to doing what I use to do. I go back to the doctors in a few weeks and Ill give an update at that time.
