10/21/10 Health Advocate and NSAIDs

Well, I went off to the PCP Monday. Apparently the pain in my neck is not my DH (LOL), but is definitely from the ladder fall...in fact, it was 'right on schedule' for inflammation.

*Portion of Post Deleted For Lap Band Book

BTW, The PCP gave me the same anti-spasmodic drug (Flexeril) I hijacked from DH…yes, I'm a SPAZ! My range of motion in my arm is better, but not my head…so I'm walking around like Frankenstein with my head bolted to my body…make that a SPAZ FRANKENSTEIN…Hey, I've got my costume!…Just in time for Halloween!

6/1/10 Drivel Scribbles: New Tastes and Foods

First, Happy Memorial Day!

Yes, I know I'm late, explanation of busyness to follow. No, I didn't get my belly button pierced. It's 'the chasm', remember?!  Nothing to be down about as I've cheered it up with another holiday decoration! It's a huge plastic ring, and trust me, the ring part doesn't come close to 'bottoming out' (see below). Oh, and note my tanner belly...no I didn't wear the bikini to mulch (sunless tanner cream), but now I'm ready if I ever get invited to a pool party!

I'm back to writing the book after a long week-and-a-half-off. I spent the first part of that planting new bushes, removing old ones, and weeding. The mulch pile arrived last Wednesday evening (two days early) so DH decided to take off Friday to get it going. DS and DD were away this weekend in different cities so we decided to get our major spring jobs finished up. We spent Friday and Saturday mulching. If we weren't tired enough from that, Sunday was spent taking everything out of the garage...I did that part while DH took DS2 to lunch and a movie (just because we decided to make it a 'working weekend' didn't mean he didn't need some holiday fun). When they got back I had them move the last heavy things out and then we hosed the garage down and put it all back. Monday was partially spent boxing up DS1's college stuff (yes, it was still sitting in my Dining Room), and rearranging all DD's stuff in the Clubhouse out back so we could fit DS1's stuff in (along with the four large pieces of furniture the two of them bought in our neighborhood garage sale). Last night we just enjoyed all our hard work and had a great rib dinner with the kids/others returning home.

So time to refocus on the book. I'm writing now about:
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5/18/10 That Four Letter Word...

Rain...

No, that's not the word...I'm starting with some personal updates (rain for the second day is just pissing me off), then we'll get to the LB, and that other bad word...

What's Happening:

- We finish the garage sale Saturday. We got rid of almost 1/2 the stuff and made about $100...woo. Yes, we priced things very cheap...people kept telling us they couldn't believe the deals they were getting (I just wanted it gone). I even set out three boxes of new things with the tags still on them from my 'gift closet' (LOL, things like baby clothes that were the wrong size/season, clothing for me that never fit, gifts I never gave, etc.). What's better than selling 1/2 the crap? Setting 10 boxes of leftovers at the curb and watching the Vets pick them up yesterday! The only thing that could ruin that moment? My two oldest buying four LARGE (we're talking couch and huge tables large) pieces of furniture from other's garage sales (I knew I was doomed Friday morning each time they would come back up the street in my minivan and back into the driveway). DH can no longer park his car in the garage and we're going to have to upgrade my minivan to a U-Haul to move their crap around.

- It was DS1's 20th birthday Saturday. His GF came up for the day and took him to the zoo and then we had a great dinner and family party. Can I just say that my children make me feel old...I just realized I can no longer say 'my teens' in my blog anymore as I now have 2 out of 3 kids that are 20 or older...Ahhh! How dare they grow up so fast and make me feel old...the pain of childbirth has returned to bite me in the butt!

- Sunday DH and I went to four nurseries to buy plants and bushes (all these garage sales have put me behind on my gardening). I decided we needed to redo some of the front landscaping as we lost some bushes from the waist-high snow this winter...plus some of the planting beds were getting out of control (we now have 10 tiny new bushes...and sunburns). We've never lived anywhere long enough to have to replace landscaping LOL...hard to believe we just reached 9 years here! I also have flats full of annuals waiting to be planted, but we've had two days of cold rain... d*mnit, now I have to clean my house (you can only imagine the mess after hauling all that crap out of the basement to sort)...sun tomorrow!

- Blog Comments:
---Thanks for asking, yes, my patio is still (mostly) brown and shiny (ask DD, she wiped out on the slick surface yesterday trying to run to her car in the rain). I'll try to take some pics when the sun is back out.
---Anonymous- thank you for the comment. It's comments and emails like that, that keep me moving forward on the book.

*Portion of Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

5/4/10 Pre-Op Process (Self-pay or Covered)

*Portions of Post Deleted for Lap Band Book---------------------------------------------------
The closest I come to understanding the medical system abroad is when 'someone very close to me who will remain anonymous lest her friends read this...like they'd ever want to' spent a semester abroad in France. She made a trip to the ER in the middle of the night just 10 days after her arrival to France (very bloody diarrhea)...which involved a move in
an ambulance to another hospital outside of town, a 5 day stay, a lab analysis of the bottle of Pepto Bismol (yes, I sent her there with a huge bag full of every medication possible...I'm surprised they didn't stop her at customs and do a strip search) that I insisted she take with her to the hospital (they'd never seen Pepto before). NO one at the hospital spoke more than a few words of English and she didn't speak much French at all yet (she attended an English speaking college, and part of her education was learning more conversational French there). In the few minutes a day we got to talk to her (cell phone had almost no battery left and she didn't take the charger to the ER) we received the following information (and yes, I would have flown out the first day if I'd had any clue this was going to be 5 days):

- Day 1: NO one here speaks English!...No, we all applied for our France health care cards, but we hadn't received them yet...I'm perfectly fine now...I think they'll send me home today.

- Day 2: They took my Pepto Bismol and my phone is about to die...No, I don't know what hospital I'm at, but I'll try to ask them if that's it...No, there's NO one here who speaks English that you can talk to...anyway, I think they'll send me home today.

- Day 3: OMG get me out of here! The TV costs cash money and I only had 5 Euros in my pocket when I went to the ER...I've been staring at the wall for 3 days! People stop by all day long to try out their 'English' on me; I keep thinking 'FINALLY! Someone who speaks English! But after they point and say 'American!' or 'How are you?' really slowly I learn that's all the words they know!...Yes, about as many words as I am fluent in French!...I think one of them said something about a 'test'...No, who knows if it was a Doctor or the janitor, they all wear the same thing!...I think maybe they'll send me home after the test today.

- Day 4: GET ME OUT OF HERE!!! They brought me some meat for dinner last night and I turned it over and it had TASTEBUDS ON IT...IT WAS A LITTLE TINY TONGUE!!! I'm starving!!! They stuck a camera up my bum today and the Doc spent 30 min. trying to communicate with me with no English...I don't know, I think I heard the word 'inflammation' and 'polyp'. Two of my friends from college took the train out to see me and they couldn't find out what was going on either...and they speak FRENCH!...No, no one from the college program has called or come to see me...I don't know why they're keeping me so long...I pray they send me home today!
- Day 5: I'm home. I was scared, but luckily I had just enough money to buy the train ticket back to the city. The Doctor told me I have to 'come back' for a 'Colonoscopy' I think to take out the polyp...Yes, I got a copy of the report, but I'M NEVER GOING BACK!!!!
After two different trips to two different Dentists there, with no tooth symptom relief, we all decided she needed to come home after one semester (she was supposed to be there all year). Back in the US, after lots of help from our insurance co., getting the foreign medical bills paid and then the hospital report translated, she had the colonoscopy and the polyps removed, and then had to have the tooth pulled out...she likes to show people the spot where her molar is missing and calls it her 'souvenir from her trip to France'. No, I'm not saying the medical system abroad is bad (I've been told France has a great health-care system), but from a teenagers view it was LOL! And yes, she should have been able to speak more French as it's not their problem to know English. Thank Gawd she's a very independent girl and could handle herself alone!
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3/24/10 I Died

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

3/1/10 Dizzy Blonde *Update*

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

2/19/10 My 'Bander Meal'

Today's blog may seem like I'm diverting a little from my 'nutrition series', but to me, this is part of my nutrition...at least partly with vitamins/supplements...and the other part is medications, but since some of us also have the same 'obesity related comorbidities' I thought I'd include them as well. I know when I was starting out I wondered what kinds of vitamins and supplements others were taking, especially since all this 'pill' stuff was new to me.

*Portions of Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

Yep, this is how many pills I take a day...morning on the left/plate (I use the lg. daily pill box), evening on the right/plate (I use the sm. daily pill box...yes, today is my day to refill them), and 'as needed' in packaging. Just a few years ago I was taking absolutely NO pills, unbelievable. I had some daily mulitvitamins that I'd try to remember to take when I was dieting (remember, I was ALWAYS dieting or gaining), but I almost never took them. Now, as DH says, I'm consuming a whole 'Bander Meal' of pills LOL...yep they're filling (and I will admit having to 'search' through a PB to see which ones came back up once...not fun). I'm not someone who was ever into supplements or liked adding medications without a need, but you'll see that almost everything I'm now taking was Doctor recommended. Am I happy that I'm taking this many pills? No, but I'm getting my health back and it's working.

OK, this is going to be dry reading and not something that anyone will need ALL this information. Skim down through the sections in CAPS/bold and just read the ones that pertain to you. Feel free to ask me anything as I'm an open book, and I'd love it if you shared information you have that's different from mine in any of these areas.

COUGHING/ALLERGIES/ASTHMA:
*I have had Pneumonia about 6 times in my life and have always had a problem with many bouts of Bronchitis and other things effecting my lungs. A few years ago I had a very severe 12 week cough. I went back to my (then) PCP's and saw three different doctors over that cough before they finally sent me to a Pulmonologist (of course by then the cough was done).
*Testing: Lung x-rays (twice), blood tests (one Doc thought I had 'hand/foot/mouth disease), strep test, chest CT (one doc thought I'd had some pulmonary embolisms that had dissolved on their own by the time they ordered this test-at the end of my cough).
*Medications: I was put on several different rounds of different antibiotics (some thought it was Bronchitis), prescription cough suppressants, even a narcotic shot, throat numbing tabs, and mucus treatments. I was also put on several types of inhalers.
*Our whole family (minus DD who was at college) went to the Allergist for testing. To everyone's surprise (even the Allergist) I found out then that I am highly allergic to almost everything environmental (no foods). My lung function was also very impaired.
*My new PCP got me to a different Pulmonary specialist group and after going through all the breathing testing I found out I had Adult Onset Asthma and severe Post Nasal Drip. Asthma can be aggravated by Obesity.
*My new PCP gave me the Pnemonia vaccine and I am now on several medications for the Asthma and the Allergies. I haven't had any major lung problems since then.
-Rx: Fluticasone Proionate---50 mcg---1 spray each nostril---2x/day---for Allergies and Asthma
-Rx: Singulair----------10 mg-----1 tab---------------------1x/day----for Allergies and Asthma
-Rx: Albuterol Sulfate--17 g-------2 puffs AS NEEDED-4-6 hours--for Allergies and Asthma
-OTC: Antihistamine---10 mg---1 tab----------------------2x/day----for Allergies and Asthma
-OTC: Halls Methol-----7 mg----1 drop AS NEEDED---2 hours----for cough

INCONTINENCE:
*Most of you will remember all my incontinence issues and the doubled surgery I had for it (Hysterectomy and Bladder Sling), which both failed (my Urologist said I'm the only one he's ever had that's failed…great). Yes, stress incontinence can be related to Obesity. I had given up, but went back to the Urologist (this was several years after the surgery) and went through both the Urodynamic testing (lots of wires and TMI) and later the bladder scoping again (both fine).
*He sent me to a specialist. She gave me an exam and sent me for both a bladder and abdominal ultrasound and internal ultrasound as well as abdominal x-rays. She gave me this daily pill and it works very well (YAY, no more peeing my pants...I'm down to tiny pads, really my 'security blanket', and off those MEGA pads!).
-Rx: Vesicare----5 mg------1 tab--------1x/day---for Incontinence

JOINT PAIN/OSTEOARTHRITIS:
*I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my lower back about 10 years ago. It had gotten to the point where I was taking a lot of anti-inflammatories and using a heating pad most nights. After pulling some major muscles across my back and left shoulder lifting a couch a few years ago, my shoulder had been progressively been getting worse, I had sporadic back and arm muscles spasms and even numbness and tingling in my hand. I just figured I would have to eventually have shoulder surgery like my Dad had. I was also beginning to have more pain in my knees and feet (Can you say Obesity?).
*My new PCP sent me for spine and shoulder x-rays and sent me to Physical Therapy for the first time. I found out that I have osteoarthritis not only in my lower back, but also in the spine near my neck and that is what was causing the shoulder problems. I also found out from the x-rays that I had mild scoliosis/curvature to the side and pretty severe lordosis/sway back (yes, this can be aggravated by Obesity…just take a look at my fat a$$ my back had to hold up).
*The treatment I got through Physical Therapy helped the shoulder a LOT, and the lower back somewhat (I'd highly recommend PT). Getting the weight off has also helped tremendously.
-OTC: Glucosamine Chondroitin---1,500 mg---1 tab----1x/day----for healthy cartilage and joint support.

MIGRAINES:
*I got my first migraine about 20 years ago and they had very slowly increased in frequency to the point where a few years ago I had some weeks where I had them 3x a week. They were completely debilitating and OTC meds were no longer helping (had been helping if I started them soon enough).
*My new PCP sent me for a brain MRI ('unremarkable', hee-hee) and had me keep a migraine journal (coming off caffeine and other trigger foods didn't help). It was determined that I was getting severe migraines as well as rebound headaches from all the OTC pain relievers I was taking for both the headaches and the osteoarthritis pain.
*They started me on a migraine daily preventative which worked really well until recently when I've been getting some again and now they've increased the dosage and that seems to be helping. This is the only one of my pills that I only take in the evening as the migraines almost always begin in the wee hours of the morning. The PCP also gave me a non-NSAID pain reliever to use when I get one (after LB we can't take NSAIDS), and they also gave me a 'vomiting remedy' prescription as I can get violently nauseous (bad with the Band) with some migraines (I have used this twice since banding for vomiting).
-Rx: Amitriptyline----75 mg------1 tab----1x/day at night---for Migraine prevention
-Rx: Isometh/APAP (generic Midrin)--1-2 caps AS NEEDED--every hour, up to max 5/12 hrs.---for Migraine pain
-Rx: Ondansetron-----8 mg----1 tab AS NEEDED-----2x/day----for severe vomiting (I'd recommend all Banders have something similar on hand for severe vomiting of any kind).

HYPERTENSION/HEART:
*I had consistent hypertension for a year before the PCP started me on medication for it (when I started it was 158/110). They had to double the dosage to get it under control. Recently I was at the PCP and my lower number had finally come down into the mid-low 80's, so I asked about cutting down on the meds. She's OK'd me cutting my pills in half as a test and I was finally able to get a BP check at the Cardiologist the other day. I was thrilled to see the best reading I've had in years 120/80 and he said if this keeps up I could go off the medication in about 6 months.
*I had to go to the Cardiologist for my LB clearance due to my family history. Dad has had 2 heart attacks and 3 stents, one sister has had two mini strokes, and both are on BP meds. I had a heart MRI (normal), an EKG, and a clearance exam/visit pre-op. Five days post-op I was back at the hospital with chest pain and pain breathing. A clot was ruled out, my lungs weren't inflating all the way, but my EKG was abnormal so they kept me overnight for a stress test (normal, some ribs were displaced in the surgery).
-Rx: Lisinopril-----5 mg------1 tab-----1x/day------For Hypertension
-OTC: Vitamin E--400 IU----1 tab-----1x/day------Cardiovascular health
-OTC: *Fish Oil--with 300 mg Omega-3's--1 softgel--2x/day------ " "
* As soon as we use up this bottle, I'm going to buy the Costco/Kirkland, Enteric coated fish oil, which has a higher concentration of the Omega 3's needed:
Omega 3 EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) 410 mg
Omega 3 DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) 274 mg
I'm hoping I'll only need 1 of the new kind/day, but am interested in your opinions on how much is needed.

OTHER:
*GASTROENTEROLOGIST- We all had to have colonoscopies after finding pre-cancerous polyups in the family. Mine was clean. We also were sent to a Genetic counselor who found no genetic testing was yet needed.
*OBGYN- I go for annual checkups (no more PAPs after the hysterectomy), I also get yearly mammo's (dense breast tissue and lots of benign cysts usually have the tech gasping). I have had left breast pain for about 10 years (they tell me cysts can be painful, cancer isn't). A few years back the OBGYN put me on a estrogen and testosterone pill, but I went off of it after a few months at my PCP's recommendation (I was having sudden dizziness and joint pain). This year I decided to try and just address my hot flashes…my face gets beet red and it can be embarrassing, not to mention uncomfortable. The OBGYN started me on the following pill and it has been working really well for this:
-Rx: Venlafaxine---37.5 mg------1 tab-----2x/day---for hot flashes
*OPTHAMOLOGIST- Both of my parents have Macular Degeneration, although different kinds. Both my Mom's sisters also have it as well as several grandparents (so I'm screwed LOL). The Opthalmologist recommends a daily dose of this:
-OTC: Lutein------20 mg------1 softgel---1x/day---eye health

LAP-BAND:

9/9/09 Fourth Fill

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

 

7/29/09 Restriction; an Urban Legend?

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

3/26/09 Pipe Dreams

WARNING- If you don’t want to hear more about my incontinence problems…STOP READING…NO, REALLY…I’m going to pee on you!!…Alright, you’ve been warned. If you haven’t heard about my past issues I’ll sum it up by saying having three kids did my body in…I didn’t have migraines or osteoarthritis and I certainly wasn’t obese or incontinent until I had children. It’s all their fault…not buying it are you? Well, the incontinence IS probably from childbirth…that and genetics, Mom has had two incontinence surgeries (she’s had 5 kids), one of my sisters is on “urgency/bladder” pills (she’s had 4 kids), and DD, yes my 21 year old DD just started the same medication this year (no kids yet…she’s doomed…but that’s our secret…k? I want to be a Grammy someday!). Three and a half years ago I got fed up…it was just before I got diagnosed with adult-onset asthma…extreme coughing and incontinence together…it’s not a pretty thing.

So I swallowed my pride and brought it up at my annual OBGYN exam. Before I knew it I was tested, retested, scheduled, and in for surgeries…not one, but two…a hysterectomy and a bladder sling (both solely for incontinence) back to back with two different surgery crews. The surgeries worked!...I was even contemplating buying some cute underwear, maybe even a thong, now that I was sans mega-pad! Fail! Yep, starting just a few weeks out, and before the next year I was back in my mega pads…DS2 calls them ‘dia-pees’…lovely…and no, I’m not in diapers, yet…groan. My coughing/sneezing/laughing pee problem stayed cured, but getting to the potty in time…I’m like a 2 year old starting potty training (lots of running with clothes flying off...good thing I'm now at home and 10 steps from a bathroom at all times)! After another 2 years I got up the courage to go back to my Urologist for more fun testing (read "Urodynamics" and "Glamour Shots" blogs if you haven’t had enough already), let’s just say he was baffled as I’m the only patient he’s had that the surgery has failed…don’t I feel special…yep, I’m a mystery. So he sent me to another Urology Specialist.

I had to wait four months to get in (I took that as a good sign that she must be magical), but today was finally my day! Whoo-hoo…I was expecting more Urodynamics and maybe some new fun testing. The nurse brought me in and asked me about a million questions…some that got me thinking about what testing might be in store for me; things like… ‘Have you ever had your Urethra dilated?’ I have no clue what that means but it sure sounds painful and visuals of balloons up my hoo-ha were forming!! I, of course, divulged that I would be having Lap Band surgery next month (just in case they couldn’t get all their testing in by then). (*Side note here: After exclaiming ‘You don’t look like you would need WLS!’, she spent the next 5 min. asking me all about it). I gave my usual lemonade sample and waited on the table…in came the doc and I told her the same story/issues I’ve been having…she gives me a puzzled look…I’m thinking, here we go again…but then…wait for it… ‘Did your Urologist put you on medicines?’ Me ‘Nope. I know there’s stress and urgency incontinence, but he always said I only have the stress kind and meds wouldn’t help me.’ More frowning…I’m thinking the testing list is getting longer… ‘You DO realize the surgery doesn’t cure any of the urgency problems you’re still having?’ Say WHAT?!!! After that I believe there was some diagram drawing and discussion of the different causes of incontinence, but my head was spinning. Stirrups up and a quick exam and I was given some pills to try out…ARE YOU TELLING ME THE LAST THREE YEARS I COULD HAVE BEEN TAKING A SIMPLE PILL FOR THIS??!!
I’m on VESIcare (Yep, I'm now one of those annoying pipe people with leaky pipes, faulty internal plumbing, and drippy spigot- genitalia until I get my pill...maybe I need a gauge) and I ‘should notice results immediately, or there’s about 5 other pills we can try!’ (so I might be one of those 'gotta go, gotta go, gotta go RIGHT NOW' peeps). She wants me to go in for a bladder and kidney ultrasound, just because I’ve never had one, but that’s it….NO MORE TESTING! WOOT! Thongs may be in my future yet…maybe when I get a skinny ass.

If this works I'm so buying my new Fairy Godmother one of these lovely note holders (Vescare pipe person pic)...hey, I'm appreciative...and look...oooo shiny!

The rest of our time was spent chatting about the LAP-BAND®, obesity, my family history…yadda yadda…we got along famously. I got the obligatory “You don’t look like you need WLS!” about 3 times out of the doc…another nurse came in for my exam and the first thing the doc said was “She’s having Lap Band surgery!” Nurse “You don’t look like you need WLS!!” Other than DH the only people I’ve told (besides all the WLS docs and pre-op docs) are 4 other doctors and 5 nurses now…and I get the same initial words every time (I must be an expert fat camouflager).

They went on and on and I had to justify why I was doing it, my years of yo-yoing, my BMI, and my family history of terrible comorbidities I’m facing. The nurse even asked me how much I wanted to lose…I said I’d be really happy with 80-100 pounds, but I would be happy if I could lose 60-80 and KEEP IT OFF. Her reaction… ‘Well, you could diet and try to lose that!!’ Hadn’t she just heard my history?... ‘Well, I HAVE lost almost that much before, many times…I need something to help me KEEP it off and help me not feel like I’m starving.’ They just couldn’t get over that I would need WLS…it was a very friendly conversation but it got to the point after about 10 min. of this (as I was sitting with ‘the sheet’ over my lap) that I finally laughed and yelled ‘OK, I’m a lot skinnier on my top half than the bottom half…just take a look at my fat ass when I walk out!’…I was NOT getting my naked butt off the table to prove my point…interesting that they were gathered in the hall as I changed and walked out. My follow-up is in August…I’ll show them! I’ve got to say every time this happens, I’m not embarrassed, or upset, it’s just exhausting to try and justify why I need this and I don’t think I’ve convinced one person yet that I need this…and they’re all doctors and nurses who have heard my health issues and the family ones I’m facing…HOLY C*@P, if I can’t convince someone in the medical profession I need this, I’m SO glad I’m not telling others!!!

3/11/09 I’m a Graduate

Today I graduated from PT. I’m feeling really good about it. Not just because I’m not in as much pain anymore, but even more so because I’ve completed something successfully and it worked. I needed that right now, more than you know. As you know I haven’t been having very good luck with health things being successful (respiratory problem for 12 weeks with many, many failed treatments; then hysterectomy/bladder sling surgeries failure, etc.) and I was beginning to wonder a little if the LB would be a failure too. My cup is half full attitude was beginning to buckle slightly when it came to medical issues.

So this was ‘just what the doctor ordered’/I needed right now. I had two long standing pain issues and they were both greatly helped by PT; way better than my expectations even. I’m no fool though, I now know where/how severe my osteoarthritis is and there’s no ‘cure’. I’ll be doing my follow-up exercises at home, and try to watch the wear and tear on my body with all the home improvement projects I do (yeah right, who else is going to do it?).

And then, there’s always ‘Plan B’ (another one of my evil plans). I took a ton of assorted muffins and juices into the staff at the PT office this morning for their breakfast on my last day, much to their delight. I told them if I come back bent in half this spring after shoveling mulch and resurfacing my patio before the big graduation parties, they’d better be kind and not scold me.

2/28/09 60 Days Until 50

*NOTE: Well, now it’s 58 days actually. I've tried posting this the last two nights and gave up trying to get access, but that’s another post entirely.

If you don’t know yet, I’m turning 49 7/8 this year. I’ve promised to work my way up to calling it, what it is, by my birthday. See? There in the title? That’s a huge step in the right direction, right? Well, if I say it’s a huge step, it is!

I’m not sure why 40 didn’t bother me, I thought it would, but it didn’t. I’m not one to hide my age either (I’m stating the obvious here again, aren’t I?). But this one is FREAKING ME OUT!!! What’s so scary about 5-0?…it’s a milestone, a landmark, the BIG 5-0, half a CENTURY for crying out loud, you’re definitely on the downward spiral of life even if you do make it to that Willard Scott Smuckers birthday, it’s midlife (you hope), and don’t you remember when your parents turned 50, and how OLD you thought they were? Let’s face it, when AARP sends you more mail then Victoria’s Secret you’re on your way out. Can I just say here, STOP SENDING ME MAIL AARP!!! I’LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN I’M READY TO JOIN!!!!

I had pretty much decided that I was NOT going to turn ‘that age’ this year. I’m not 5-0 in my head, so what’s the point. I certainly don’t act like I’m 5-0. But lately, my body is starting to act like it is. The past few years I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said that I felt like I was circling the drain. I was feeling, well, OLD!

I’d been puzzling over this attitude for awhile now, because it’s not like me. What’s up with me? I’m definitely a ‘cup half full’ person. DH calls me the eternal optimist. After pondering some more, I think I’m figuring this out. You know why? Because things ARE changing. I see that I was feeling bad about my age, because I was FEELING it. After my ‘Moment’ (don’t think I’ve shared that one here yet, but I’ll save that for another blog)…you know that moment when you decided that you were actually going to at least ‘look’ at that ‘extreme thing’ called WLS?...Then I decided on the LB, and that was a HUGE change in the right direction. I decided that this year was going to be about ME for a change. I’ve never put myself at the top of the list, let’s face it, I’ve never even put myself ON the list. I decided to make this my year for getting healthy. I made a pack with myself to do this to my best ability and see what happens. My year of taking care of me…so it’s a birthday present for myself, of the best kind.

It hasn’t been easy to do actually, and that part surprised me. I’ve always been know as a person who embraces change…in business, I was know as a ‘change agent’ and it was something I was very good at. It’s easy to feel optimistic about everything else in life, but yourself?...when you’re feeling sick, tired, and old?...but I kept to my promise to myself…it certainly hasn’t been without major moments of guilt for putting myself first…and I’m sure there’s much more of that to come. I’ve made myself re-look at my surgeries that failed that I’d given up on (shhh…stress incontinence…bladder sling and hysterectomy) and even knowing I’m the only one my doc has ‘ever had the surgery fail for’; now I’ve gone through re-testing and am scheduled to see another specialist in March. I’ve made myself ask for help about my osteoarthritis that has given me constant pain for the past 10 years, and doctors have told me “it’s age”; so I thought there was nothing that could help; and now Physical Therapy is actually helping me. I’ve chosen to get the Lapp Band and now, by many unforeseen circumstances, it’s looking like it’s going to happen within a week of my birthday. Coincidence?

I’m seeing changes that I thought would never happen. So now I have new hope. I’m already not feeling as old anymore. If I can make changes I thought would never happen, then maybe the LB will work for me and make more changes I thought could never happen. So maybe turning the BIG ONE this year won’t be so bad after all. It might be a year to celebrate! …baby steps…I’m getting there.

2/24/09 Hospital Packing List

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

2/6/09 NUT, Pulmonary, PT- Making the Rounds

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

2/2/09 Month 4

I had my 4th monthly weigh-in (just 2 more to go!). I have finally won over the Nurse at my PCP’s office (yes, I’ve viewed this as a challenge)...just got her talking about the SB game and how we should have ALL had a 2 hour delay this morning to recover (like the Pittsburgh schools did)…yep, she was tired too (we were chatting like old friends about how tired we were).

I was a little worried about weighing in after the Football Game watching Feastival, so I wore my lightest clothing and shoes (the problem is I’m not a good strategist…scheduling a weigh in the morning after a party, need I say more?). OK, again I screwed myself…my light clothing worked too well…the Nurse weighed me and I lost 4 pounds.

My PCP's CRNP came in and I told her that at my surgeon’s consult I also met with their insurance lady and apparently my insurance is easy to work with and all the extra information and educational stuff we were collecting (you know personal letters, etc.) is needed for everyone else EXCEPT me/my insurance (wish I’d known that BEFORE we started the extra work…sigh, oh well). So we’re now doing just simplified forms with a few check marks and fill in’s…easy-peasy and she insists the insurance company will approve me within 72 hours if we just send these forms…OK, I’m trusting you know best. Now I want you all as witnesses in case I get denied for not collecting enough information…because I WILL be ranting if that happens.

My PCP visit ended with her ordering new x-rays for my shoulder problems and she upped my hypertension meds. as my bottom number is still over 90…apparently not ideal.

1/29/09 I've Got Curves!

Sure, we’ve all heard people here who, through the course of their pre-op testing, have gotten new diagnosis’ for ailments they didn’t even know they had. Sometimes it’s even helpful with insurance approval. I’ve even counseled others to have their doctor order at least basic blood test as they might have high cholesterol, or indicators of diabetes. Remember I got a diagnosis of hypertension right before the beginning of my journey.

At my last PCP monthly check we discussed my comorbidities (that word sounds like we’re all dying doesn’t it...OK so maybe it's appropriate). One of my minor ones that has gotten worse with weight is my osteoarthritis in my lower back. Adding to that is the fact that I was put on preventative medication last fall for my migraines. Suddenly I was no longer needing to take the usually daily pain medications, often strong migraine ones. So although my migraines have virtually disappeared my back pain is worse without the pain relievers. The PCP suggested I try Physical Therapy, which I’ve never done before. She ordered a new set of x-rays of my lower back/lumbar to be sure I didn’t have any disc problems and because my last set was 10 years ago, in another state.

I got a call from the nurse at the PCP’s office… “We have your x-ray results. They did find the osteoarthritis in several places, but no disc problems.” Pause “And I’m sure you already know about the scoliosis.” Pause……. me trying to process this…thinking…isn’t that the thing we always got tested for as kids…yep, the thing where your spine bends to one side….pause….(me) “No, I didn’t know. What is scoliosis?” (nurse) “It’s where your spine is curved.”…still trying to process… (me) “So is this obesity related or age?”…now grasping at straws… “And is there something I need to do about it?” (nurse) “Yeah you can get this as you age and you just need to do more of those weight bearing exercises.” (she said like it was no big deal) …I’ve got nothing…(me) “OK.”

So I somehow decided in my mind that I probably just have swayback from my weight and huge ass (Sounds plausible, right? I don’t need a diagnosis to tell me I could serve cocktails on my bum). Well, with all the stuff going on with the kids and doctors this month I’ve put off scheduling the Physical Therapy. So today, after the snow delay I took some time ask some questions online and start researching this. Apparently I do not have swayback, which is called lordosis, or even a hunchback, well it wasn’t my upper back anyway, which is called kyphosis (although it was Notre Dame where I had my 'moment' that brought me to the Lap Band, but that's another story). Nope, and I’m sure it’s no biggie, but I now have a curve to the side, which is called scoliosis. Yep, I’ve got curves! Tell a fat girl something she didn’t already know!

1/9/09 Insurance is Inept

Today I called my insurance company for the first time in order to confirm/ask for clarification on my benefits. I spent some time gathering information and preparing for this call online. Let’s just say I wish the insurance people were half as prepared. I really only had a few questions; 1) I wanted to confirm my policy hadn’t changed this year. 2) When exactly can I apply for approval, so what exactly is 6 months/diet (is it a certain no. of days? Is it 6 weigh-ins or 7? I’ve heard all these answers on the web.). 3) What will my costs be- deductable, percentages, maximums? And how are fills covered? 4) Do I need to remain above the minimum 35 BMI until approval?

Is it too much to ask for some clarification? In a world such as insurance where everything is supposed to be black and white, why is there so much gray? I play fair (OK, except the layers)…I get that they need minimum BMI’s and can’t just arbitrarily approve people…I won’t whine about the rules. I’m a girl; I don’t mind reading the directions, but, for example, what the heck is up with just listing examples of some comorbidities, etc., dot, dot, dot. Why not just list the specific list of ones that will gain you approval so you know if you should apply or not? Why do I have to decipher after many hours on the internet that only 5 of the obesity related comorbidities really count at all toward approval? If there are specific rules why the @%&* aren’t the rules to this ‘game’ spelled out clearly? It’s like trying to play a game that your kids made up and the rules just keep changing.

I was sweet as pie on the phone…we weren’t making any headway until I told the rep. that I had a copy of last year’s policy…OK, there we go #1 down…no changes. Then came the 6 mo. question and I explained it further. She put me on hold as she asked her supervisor. When she came back she told me it all depended on whether I’m outpatient or inpatient as different departments handle these. OK, I’m in, so WHAT DOES 6 MO. MEAN? I know you’re all screaming at me, better safe then sorry, just do the extra mo., but this is a major difference in BG-land. My kids are both graduating the next mo. so that will be dicey with ceremonies, company and parties. We skipped to costs and they were what I expected ($1000 max), but she had no idea what a fill even was. At that point she transferred me to the pre-authorization department. The rep. that answered was immediately p.o.’d when she found out I wasn’t a Drs. office and all she would tell me was my Dr. would fax the papers to them for approval…she couldn’t answer anything else. Frustration.

I took a deep breath (sigh) and decided not to sweat it as I have my surgeon’s consult next Tuesday. I’ll be meeting with the insurance expert from the surgeon’s office as well as the surgeon. She seemed to be very aware of my insurance co., so I’m hoping she has my answers.

OK, here’s my real rant…My last job being in business process improvement, this part burns me…I’m not mad at the rules, I’m mad that if there are rules, no one gave all of them to me and this is plain stupid. How can this not lead to more costs for insurance? I get that by being vague they might be able to deny a few more people at the end, but weigh that against all those who wouldn’t have ever embarked upon this process if they knew they didn’t meet the qualifications…how much money is lost on them? How many people go through months of PCP visits, pre-op visits with psych, NUT, etc. (how much does that cost?) only to get denied for something the insurance co. should have spelled out to begin with.

As difficult as diets have been for me in the past, it doesn’t begin to compare to this insurance maze. I just don’t get the game, or even more, why there’s even a game to begin with…and I’m just starting.

12/12/08 Glamour Shots...(and "Telling Others")

Nope, no “Afters” or even “Befores”. Remember?...I know I told you!? I went back to the Urologist yesterday (See my “12/5/08 Urodynamics” blog…if you want to sing a wacky Christmas Jingle with me) for my “Glamour Shots” (Yee Old Tiny Camera up the gazoo photos). I wonder if I can get a copy for my fridge? After all that (again) my Urologist comes in and says they didn’t find any problems from the original surgery so he’s going to send me to a Specialist (Specialist? I thought you WERE a specialist!). Oh, and he gave me a reassuring “Don’t worry…you won’t be leaking the rest of your life.”…what am I, a faucet? Sigh. I seem to always be the “exception” or have the weirdest medical things happen to me that the Doctors can’t/take forever to figure out. Just ONE example of many; 2 years ago during 3 months of a TERRIBLE no-sleep literally-can’t-leave-the-house-because-I cough-so-hard-I-vomit constant cough, it took 5 Doctors and 2 Specialist and about 5 different diagnosis of everything from hand-foot-mouth disease to small pulmonary embolisms for me to finally get a “we think you have adult onset asthma…that was aggravated by…”…who knows? The good new is, none of my problems have been terrible things that I know so many have to deal with…Hey, if the worst thing that happens to me is peeing every time I laugh, which my youngest just told me I do way to often (the laughing, not the peeing, although that's true too), then I’ve got a lot to be thankful for! Asthma for me is like being obese and the many comorbidities it causes…you just get tired of it, tired of not feeling healthy.

I think one of my first questions for the new “Specialist” will be “Is there a chance this could improve with weight loss?” I asked my Urologist that (after also telling him I was getting the LB) and he said “Not for you! That only happens with people that are huge-morbidly obese…You’re not that overweight!” Yeah…us low BMIers hear that from anyone we tell (I’ve only told 3 Doctors and 3 Nurses and ALL of them have used those same 4 words…You’re not that overweight! To which my immediate reply is always “I’m 100 pounds overweight!” I was surprised how that just came out the first time and how defensive I felt about wanting to get the Lap Band. Some of them came around and eventually said positive things once they saw I was serious about it, but it was a weird conversation even with these medical “strangers”. I felt like I had to give a list of what a failure I’ve been at weight loss and all the terrible things I’ve let happen to my body because of that in defense of wanting the LB. What negativity…not me. It reinforced my decision not to tell anyone but DH (and of course the WHOLE WORLD here). So come on World…get behind me on this (just don’t make me laugh).

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In response to a comment on having to justify WLS:

Yeah...no one ever asks you to justify it when you tell them you're going on a diet (would those same medical professionals I told have said the same thing if I told them I was starting Weight Watchers? I think not)...why do we have to justify WLS?

12/10/08 One Down, 5 To Go...Oh NO!

I had my first month’s weigh in with my PCP this morning. I came out 2 pounds lost (from my 'heavy clothing visit'), but at least I wasn’t water-logged/bladder bursting again so I could actually have a nice discussion and pay attention this time. My PCP visit went well and we discussed my building a support system (talked about online and the Healthwise Company support program I enrolled in). I’ve been having more trouble with my osteoarthritis in my lower back…not sure if it’s because I’ve just about eliminate the almost daily pain relievers since they started me on migraine medicine. I was afraid to start any pain relievers for my arthritis in fear of the migraines coming back (the arthritis is nothing compared to the migraines). She said it’s OK to start some Tylenol as needed, so we’ll see what happens. It’s also likely that I’m having more pain now that I’m exercising…my body saying “Exercise??!!! What’s that?!!” I’ve had some toe numbness on one side, so she’s having me get an x-ray just to be sure the discs are still OK.

I was so frustrated at the beginning of this process with learning I’d have to do the 6 mo. diet (Diet?!!! Been there, done that…if that worked I wouldn’t need a Lap Band!), but after spending some time researching the LB I began to think 6 mo. was a good thing. There’s so much to learn and to prepare for. For example, this month my “Education Task” with my PCP was doing research and putting together my questions for my surgeon consult coming up. I’m actually amazed that even after 3 different hospital seminars how many questions I still have. I’ve been thinking about this and it’s because this isn’t like most procedures. Heck, when I had my hysterectomy & bladder sling it was pretty much textbook, no choices, standard procedures, I knew what would happen (except the failing part). With this I still have a million questions not only because every surgeon requires different pre & post-op testing/care (let’s not even get into all the differences in fill schedules/procedures/amounts)…but even with the surgery there’s differences….ie. I have a choice of which type of LB and a choice of where my port goes…and look at all the other differences we hear about on LBT: 1 incision or 5?, catheter or not?, CO2 heated and removed or not?, overnight or out-patient?, on and on. So having 6 mo. to research and prepare isn’t all bad and I know now I’ll be more successful afterwards because of what I’ve learned…

My only problem is…I started researching this in summer so I’m ALREADY almost at 6 mo. of preparing/researching…yep, when I look at it, the past 6 mo’s. went fast, but these next 5-6 months are going to be longggggggg! Help me make the time go faster...tell me a story…....anyone have a good joke?

12/5/08 Urodynamics

Sounds like a new exercise program…or maybe a high-tech company name?…Oh NO….look closer…Uro…nope, not the currency in Europe…uro as in Urologist! Taking my cue from a fellow blogger (‘cause I can’t just write this out, it will sound too horrific)…Sing it with me, to the tune of “Jingle Bells”…

Went to the Urologist
Wires out the gazoo
Catheter up the front
And up the rear-end too!

They fill up your big bladder
You feel like you’re gonna blow
They ask you to cough, and then they say “Tell me when you’ve got to go.”

Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right NOW!
Im’ gonna pee on your floor and then you’ll need a towel! Oww!
Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right NOW!
Im’ gonna pee on your floor and then you’ll need a towel!

Yeah… “Oh what fun” (not) I had this morning…Three years ago, after putting up with stress incontinence for years (three kids did me in) I had surgery (only one I’ve ever had) with both a bladder sling and a hysterectomy in hopes of correcting this issue. Although initial results were good, it slowly failed and over the next year I was back to where I started. Well, it’s taken me awhile to go back to my Dr., but in this year of “getting me healthier” I decided to see what they could do. I met with my Urologist last month…if you remember my “I peed my pants” blog…he said “You’re the first patient I’ve had where this failed…you’ll have to leave by the back door so you don’t scare my other patient!” Ha-ha…I would have laughed, but then I might PEE MYSELF! Now don’t I feel special! So today I started the testing process again…not much embarrasses me (I know, obviously) but “Urodynamics” testing is a treat…I think you’ve got the picture from my song, but picture standing on a towel and holding a million tubes and wires (coming from all points nether-regions) throughout the testing…cough…bear down…’nuff said. Next week I get to go through the “scoping” process again…yay me…photos! I’ve had some other issues over the past few years with other failed treatments and I know that’s got me more nervous about the Lap Band process…I’m feeling a little jinxed…like if something can go wrong or fail, it’s going to happen to me! But I’m an eternal optimist (as DH says) and my cup is always half-full (or in the case of this morning 1.7 liters…yes, they measure...eeeww)…so here’s to the LB! Bring it on the testing!

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In response to a comment stating that WL helps incontinence:

Hadn't heard that-82%...wow! I asked my Urologist if this could be part of the cause of my "fail" and he said "no way...they sometimes see that with extremely obese people, but that wouldn't effect me". I "only" have max 100# to lose...Good to hear the Lap Band may help this also!