Feeling bummed and a question to ask!

[Brandy Rediker]

I'm bummed because I had to put off another month to meet Dr. Sudan, nut and psychologist due to car troubles. They rescheduled for May 19th now. But, in the long run I know it was for the best because anything bad could have happened to us or the suv if that tire came off. They had to replace the wheel bearings. Just bummed about it, but know it's for the best.

Now the question I have is I haven't lost any weight for my 6 mos supervised diet. I've not gained either. Will this effect me getting approved? I'm worried about it. I was suppose to be on a 1500 cal diet, but it's been hard to do that, I still feel hungry all the time.

My poor momma who is having the surgery with me has actually gained 20 lbs due to fluid. And she's suppose to lose 6 lbs for her insurance to approve her. The dr. thinks she can take care of that by reporting that she's having issues with sever swelling due to her AFIB. Her heart's not pumping enough to help get the fluid off. At her 4 mos. she did lost 3 lbs, but just in the past month she's went up 20 lbs. I feel so bad for her because her poor feet look like balloons ready to pop. They look painful to walk on, which she doesn't. She cries almost everyday for her surgery, she wants it now so she can feel normal again, be able to walk and clean. It breaks my heart. Just a few more months if they can approve her she may be able to get her surgery done in July. I hope so...

Thanks ladies!!
Brandy

 

[Larra]

Sorry about the car troubles!

Can your momma's pcp or cardiologist, whoever takes care of her, write a letter supporting her attempts at weight loss being stymied by fluid retention? And that one of the reasons she needs this surgery is to help her poor heart? It might make a difference on her being approved. And if she's denied, don't forget that appeals are possible, esp when it's her medical problems getting in the way of approval. Never give up.

 

[JackieOnLine]

I'm sorry to hear about the delay and that your Mom is retaining fluid. I hope you can both get surgery ASAP.
hugs to both of you! by the way, is your Mom able to join and post?

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Didn't we establish that Mom was on Medicare or a Medicare plan? (Or was that someone else?)

 

[Brandy Rediker]

@Spiky Bugger yeah we discussed she's on a Medicare plan, and they still say she has to lose those 6 lbs, but her dr. thinks she can get it approved by showing that she's struggled with the fluid retention. @JackieOnLine she says she's to computer illiterate to join these groups she says she can't type fast enough or get around on these websites. LOL! I told her it's the most easiest thing to do, but she wont listen to me. The only thing she can do on the computer is play her games, I told her if she can play games then she can get on these message boards and make some friends and learn everything she can about her surgery. LOL!!

 

[southernlady]

@Brandy Rediker, get with your mom and get her exact "Evidence of Coverage" if it's a Medicare Advantage plan. If it's JUST Medicare, it's FAILED attempts and it sounds like she is FAILING to lose which is all that Medicare requires.

 

[Terri]

So sorry for the car troubles. If it's wheels or testicles, it's gonna give you troubles, LOL. I know most insurance just want that you have met with your doc every month and have been trying to lose weight. I would think if that has been happening and the doctor notes that the fluid is the reason for the gain then they should say she has met her requirements. You would think it would also show insurance that she definitely needs this surgery.

I just want to say having to show the "failed attempts" at losing weight make me mad. If someone went to the doctor with any other type of disease, insurance isn't going to say well you have try this and that for 6 months - 2 years to "cure" it yourself before we will approve surgery to help you.

 

[newanatomy]

Sorry for the setback. Hope all goes smoothly from now on.

 

[Whit]

Sorry you and mom are going through this. I would give you a Hug via imodji but they seem to be on vacation...Hugs

 

[Brandy Rediker]

Thanks ladies!! It's been a real bummer with the car, then today I got my conformation letter for my new appt. for both my mom and I to see Dr. Sudan, they scheduled us separate dates instead of together. She was supposed to be scheduled with me on the 19th so I don't have to make that long trip twice in a month. So now I have to get this straighten out. Ughhh! It will be alright though because the office staffs are really nice. So I shouldn't have trouble getting those dates switched for the same days.

For my mom, I feel confident that her dr. will take care of this. We discussed this on mom's last visit last month and she feels that it wont cause any delays with getting her approved because of the fluid. We will see. I'll keep y'all updated on this. =)

 

[DianaCox]

I am a little concerned about your mother's passivity and lack of responsibility about getting online to learn about the DS for herself. She needs to be able to do this for herself - what if something happened to you? You can't make her food choices for her - she needs to understand this FOR HERSELF. Set her up with an account here, and bookmark it, with remember password enabled, so she has no excuse to not get on and read for herself.

 

[JackieOnLine]

what games does your Mom like to play? what else is she interested in?

maybe we can tempt her into being more willing to use the computer. it would certainly be better if she was online herself like Diana said.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

How is your mother doing her OWN work on getting the DS and learning how to do it right?

If she is depending on you to hand her everything, but she is carefully reading printed material and learning the stuff, that's one thing. But if all she's doing is whatever the doc says and whatever you just TELL her, that's a lot different.

 

[Brandy Rediker]

Hang on ladies I will sign her up and show her around on here. All 3 of you are right. She needs to read all about the DS herself instead of relying on me to explain things to her.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

Hang on ladies I will sign her up and show her around on here. All 3 of you are right. She needs to read all about the DS

Good, glad to hear it.

I have heard this same thing about being unable or not having time to read all that Internet stuff from several people. Of the ones with whom I still have contact, all the outcomes sucked. Believing your doctor or NUT or anyone else instead of figuring this stuff out for yourself is a recipe for disaster. Knowledge is power, and with the DS, being empowered is essential.