Lastest Labs Results

[Regcarma]

Yeayyyyyyyyyyyyy Kevin!

Has to be all that gardening working in your favor.

Reg

[Jenn]

Kevin, I am so happy that your actual health is measuring up to how you feel.
Keep up the good work. I agree with Melanie, Its great that you took the step to ensure your health.

[Kevin M]

Thanks Melanie and everyone... I do encourage everyone to try and make some arrangements who had the DS overseas...
One who has, must ask themselves, what would i do if there was a problem post-op...? Does my PCP know what to do or not do...? Don't do what i did an wait for over 2 yrs before solving this issue. There is a local rny surgeon near me, could he have helped me if i had a problem..? honestly, i don't know...
This is not such an easy thing to remedy and may take some doing for those in distance places in relation to a DS surgeon...My feeling is, any WLS is better than none in an emergency...
Hopefully problems won't occur for us, but lets face it sometimes they do...what would you do...? where would you go..? Would they know if you were a DS patient, or just think all baratric patients are the same..?
This is not intended to scare anyone, i just want you to think about what you would do...and try to put some plan on stand-by...
Once a problem has occured, it will likey be to late to act, and you'll have to depend on whoever you get to help you...or try to get to your DS surgeon, wherever he/she may be...
I'm lucky that Dr.Gagner is fairly close to me and willing..or i would have had to search for a DS surgeon further away or depend on the local rny surgeon....

[debfmde]

[/quote]

There is a local rny surgeon nesar me, could he have helped me if i had a problem..? honestly, i don't know...

Kevin, I have the same delima here as there are two rny surgeons in GF, yet would they treat me the same as they treat their rny and vgb patients or what? I know I need to find a better support DS surgeon.
It is something for us to HIGHLY consider when dh retires from the military any time between now and the last 3 years that he has before he has to retire after reaching the max allowed for his rank.
Wishing you all the best and keep out there in that sun!!! Sure wish i had a proper fence that wasn't falling apart....takes lotsa $$$$ to replace though, lol.
Hugs,
Deb in GF, MT

[Kevin M]

Deb, thats a smart thing to consider when you move, whats more important than our healh and loved ones...? not much...
You'll work it out, because you want to and know its important... Good luck, and when you buy that new place, make sure it has good fencing...lol

[She Hulk]

Kevin,

That's so great. I always love to hear how longer post ops are doing in that regard.
I have a question - you mentioned you have no insurance. Do you pay for your labs youself? And how much is it in the states?
I'm asking because when I went in to my physician to have my last labs done she told me she wanted to check with the medical board to see if insurance even covers such labs or if I had to pay for them myself. I think that sucks because,
1. my insurance refused to pay for surgery to begin with, so I did that myself already. I still pay their extremely high rates every month, so shouldn't they cover SOMETHING?
2. they test my blood for my elevated liver enzymes and my thyroid anyway, and
3. if I never had the DS I still could be low on some vitamin as some people have mentioned before. How are they to know or prove if something relates to the DS?

All the best to you,
She

[AAA]

Kevin, that sounds good.

BTW, as a patient of Pomp & Gagner; I can tell you they (and their nutritionists) are VERY into Vit. D. I take tons of calcium, plus ADEKs, plus 32,000+ units of Vit. D per week. So, don't be upset or surprised if they decide to increase your Vit. D dramatically after you're finished w/the Rx. Most of us have been on that Rx at least once & then the protocol was increased to the 32,000+ units per week.

But you're right. You're in good hands & let me tell you -- I get 13 vials of blood taken every 6 mos. so they do, indeed, do a lot of looking.

[Kevin M]

She...Yes i pay for my labs out of pocket, and its not cheap..!
I believe most insurance coverage in the US does pay for blood works, but i also think it depends on your ins company and the type of coverage you have..
Until now, my labs usaully cost me between $300-400 a shot...
Dr.Gagner ordered extensive labs, the most i've ever had done,costing me over $1,800.00...!! Ditto in 6 months..!! So yes,blood labs are expensive here in the USA...!

[Cliff]

Excellent advise Kevin about planning in advance for any potential DS related emergencies. In WV, as far as I know, my DS surgeon is the only one that has ever performed the DS! So my SOP is to ALWAYS keep a copy of my operative report in my glove box (my wife and PCP also have copies). Also I have instructed my wife that in the event that I am unable to communicate or should I become unconciousness for whatever reason in an emergency (especially if it's suspected that I may have a problem in the stomach area) to have me transported to one of the nearest hospitals where my DS surgeon has priviledges and to have him contacted immediately since IMO he is the only doctor within 100 miles of my home (including my PCP) who truly understands how my stomach area is constructed and what the problem could be!

P.S. Since I'm new this forum, is it my imagination that most of the members of this forum are female? Just curious

SW 380 (10/04)
CW 160 (4/12)