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Would appreciate some information.

Jules65

Jules65

Member
Hi! My name is Jules . I haven't had surgery but I'm hoping to find some information on bariatric surgery. I have Meridian medicaid and so I'm aware they require patients to meet certain requirements in order to have the surgery. Right now I have GERD, esophagitus, pretty bad knees and sleep apnea. Help !! Does anyone have any information? I'm 5'2" and 226lbs.
 
Sorry I also should have said a bit more info about myself. I'm a mom of 4. It's crazy sometimes...I have a 27yo daughter who has given me 3 grandbabies. My oldest son is 24 and he blessed me with a little ham chunk of a little guy. I also have boy/girl twins that just turned 13. My daughter has some serious health issues so I'm nurse and mom 24/7 but I wouldn't want it any other way. My husband is disabled due to heart and lung issues and we've been married 15 years. I love to draw and I'm a serious colorist. I work in an office where we do DUI evaluations and alcohol/drug counseling. Hope that's a more acceptable introduction.
 
Jules65 said:
Hi! My name is Jules . I haven't had surgery but I'm hoping to find some information on bariatric surgery. I have Meridian medicaid and so I'm aware they require patients to meet certain requirements in order to have the surgery. Right now I have GERD, esophagitus, pretty bad knees and sleep apnea. Help !! Does anyone have any information? I'm 5'2" and 226lbs.
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Hi Jules. I haven't had my surgery yet but I'm done with all my requirements and am waiting for my surgery date that I requested in August. I also have chronic GERD, Esophagitis along with two bad knees. My main reason for the surgery was in hopes of stopping the constant heartburn. I'm worried that I could end up with throat cancer some day and feel I needed to take extreme measures. Of course, I'm overweight too and that's why I qualified for the surgery. I have Kaiser as my medical coverage. What type of information are you looking for?
 
I guess just things like what I might say to my Gastroenterologist in my defence for having surgery as a means to alleviate or completely eliminate some of my health issues. I'm thinking the rou en y bypass might work best for me and I know my Meridian plan states that is one they cover. I know that many people who have this surgery may be heavier than I am when they start their journey with weight loss so I'm aware that my doctor just might not agree with my reasons or request. How long does the process generally take? What did you have to go thru before being approved? I had an eating disorder for many years,mainly bulimia, but anorexia...but I have not had any symptoms of those in three years. Now it seems I've gone the opposite way. Thank you for your reply.
 
Hi! Thank you for trusting me with some of your own story. I have friends who have said "Oh,you dont need to lose weight so bad that you would have surgery" Its really frustrating for me. Even just last summer I was walking nearly everyday and usually walking between 3 to 5 each day. But today there is no chance of me doing that because of the pain in my knees and how easily and quickly I over heat.

My primary care doctor is a big vitamin and supplement pusher. He has said I need to go on a keto diet,a vegan diet...i dont think he really understands that weight loss is as much about what's in your head as much as what you eat. It's a lifestyle change. I kind of think he has the typical attitude most people who do not have weight issues, which is weight loss is as simple as not eating. There have been many years in my life where I heard things like" Well you just need to eat...just start eating." These people had no idea how difficult that is when you have an eating disorder. I always have that voice in the back of my head that tells me I'll never be good enough in the body I walk around in. It leaves one feeling like all they are doing is chasing you tail.

You did answer some of my questions. I appreciate your willingness to help. There is a part of my brain that says before any doctor would agree to let me get this surgery the would want me to weigh 4 or 500 pounds. I really that won't be the case for me. I have my twins and grandbabies to stick around for and most days I feel like a big tired slug.

By colorist I mean I add color to artwork. I also draw lots. Tried to upload a sample but apparently the files are just too large.

Hope to hear from you again.
 
I had surgery for medical reasons including severe GERD, it was covered by my insurance and I was only slightly overweight. I saw a nutritionist once before the surgery, didn’t have to lose any weight or go on a special diet beforehand and waited only about 6 weeks for the surgery after deciding to go ahead with it. I was terrified and came here for answers. I feel great now, I’ve lost 30lbs and I’m slimmer than I have been for 10 years. I no longer take any type of medication. I had surgery on April 30th this year. I don’t really like telling other people I had gastric bypass though, I just say I had stomach surgery, because they don’t really understand my reasons for having the surgery, they assume I had it for weight loss reasons.
 
I think the process averages 6-12 months from start to surgery depending on insurance and medical office. My insurance required 6 monthly visits, some medical tests, including psych evaluation and some weight loss. I started the process in August 2018 and had surgery April 2019. That was me pushing hard and never missing an appointment or hoop they had me jump through. It was all worth it! Good luck!
 
Jules65 said:
Hi! My name is Jules . I haven't had surgery but I'm hoping to find some information on bariatric surgery. I have Meridian medicaid and so I'm aware they require patients to meet certain requirements in order to have the surgery. Right now I have GERD, esophagitus, pretty bad knees and sleep apnea. Help !! Does anyone have any information? I'm 5'2" and 226lbs.
Click to expand...
I don't think I made the esophagus issue my main point? I did mention it once in the beggining and the doctor suggested the bypass surgery as the one that could eleviate the issue. The band surgery would make it worse. I started the process two years ago and then backed out of it. I had already lost the 15 pounds requested, met with a nutritionist and went to the meetings and then stopped. I picked it back up again in January of this year. I had kept the 15 pounds off so that wasn't an issue, just had to maintain it. As I started back up, I had to visit with a psychiatrist to start along with another endoscopy procedure to make sure all was still ok with my esophagus. I had to make sure all my female updates were done (pap, mammogram) and also had to have an ultrasound done on my stomach due to some issues I had a year ago. One thing that I did stress to the doctor was my knees and how it makes it difficult to get a really good exercise in which is what makes it also difficult to lose the weight. I had a total knee replacement done last year and my other leg I've had complications from an accident I had as a teenager. So doing any high impact exercise, which is what I'm sure would need to be done consistently to lose the amount of weight needed to be a healthy, is impossible. That, I believe, was a good enough argument for my primary doctor to refer me to the program. Again, this is with Kaiser Permanente and they tend to not be so choosy with patients. If you have a ligament reason, they'll send you over. I'm just over 200 lbs so I know I was probably borderline but it was never questioned.
 
When I was starving myself with anorexia I was so ashamed of the state it had left me and terrified at the same time I would not make it through the night to see my twins the next day I would just kiss and kiss them because I hoped the last memory they had with me would be a good one. But I couldn't even speak the words to tell him what was going on or that it had been going on for over 3 decades. I wrote my doctor a letter and made him wait until I left to read it. He came thru for me then a got me approved for IOP. Honestly I think he equated my horribly thin body as being sick and now that it's the opposite maybe the cause is laziness. I dont know. I'm starting to think the same way now when I go to bed...wondering will I see my twins grow up.
Thank you so much for your support and understanding.
 
My primary care doctor is a female, she always suggests more carrot sticks and more exercise. She knows nothing about me or my struggle after over 10 years. I also love how several doctors have told me the lap band was a mistake since my lap band removal. They are some of the same doctors that recommended it! Insert curse words! It is really hard to find support in the health care industry! Don’t give up!
 
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