DS 17 years out w/ Dr. Robert Rabkin

[gailfran22]

Hi my name is Gail and well I guess my subject line says it all lol! I had my Duodenal Switch Surgery done on 9/7/2001 at CPMC with <3 Dr. Robert Rabkin!! I absolutely adore Dr. Bob. but he has long since retired and his younger brother Dr. John Rabkin now runs the Pac Lap practice. Both Dr's are wonderful!! I will always be partial to Dr. Bob as he performed my DS & saved my life. Prior to surgery I weighed over 350... I believe it was 352...yesterday (Monday - I only weigh myself on Mondays lol) I was at 143. I too am Anemic. They have me injecting B12 monthly, it does very little, I told the dr this several times but they think I am not dosing enough lol. Oh well. My teeth suck and even after a body and breast lift...I sure could use another one ugh. I paid for my 1st body left out of my own funds...I wonder if Insurance might pick up a 2nd one that is badly/sorely needed?! please let me know about Insurance Info for Reconstruction of the body.

gail p.
356/143
DS 9/7/2001
Dr. Robert Rabkin

 

[DianaCox]

Can you go see Dr. John Rabkin? You may need iron infusions.

California has pretty good laws about requiring coverage for reconstructive surgery, if you have what the reconstructive surgeon will describe your skin as being an abnormal structure of the body and if you have a fully funded plan.

 

[JackieOnLine]

Hello Gail, glad you found us.

 

[Sheanie]

I second the iron infusions. What do your labs show?

 

[southernlady]

Welcome gailfran22

 

[Munchkin]

Welcome to another long term postop!

 

[gailfran22]

Can you go see Dr. John Rabkin? You may need iron infusions.

California has pretty good laws about requiring coverage for reconstructive surgery, if you have what the reconstructive surgeon will describe your skin as being an abnormal structure of the body and if you have a fully funded plan.

My Primary Care Provider watches my Iron...and I am doing my B12 religiously but will be seeing her for my physical and Post-Op labs shortly. I have gone through several Iron infusions...so if need be, I will be ready for another.

Unfortunately I no longer have an folds or sores or infections...its more to just look normal.

Hugs to all
gail

 

[FloridaJen]

Curious, why do your teeth suck?

 

[hilary1617]

HI and welcome gailfran22 . I'm curious as to why so much attention to B12? Do you have a history of B12 deficiency? This is a vitamin DS'ers should absorb fairly readily just in the context of a daily multivitamin or two? How are your other vitamin and mineral levels, especially your iron panel?

 

[Spiky Bugger]

My Primary Care Provider watches my Iron...and I am doing my B12 religiously but will be seeing her for my physical and Post-Op labs shortly. I have gone through several Iron infusions...so if need be, I will be ready for another.

Unfortunately I no longer have an folds or sores or infections...its more to just look normal.

Hugs to all
gail

Not LOOKING normal is one thing that might be covered, thanks to one of our very own Senior Members. In CA, you no longer need the old “medical necessity” thing...because establishing or regaining a normal appearance is enough.

If a kid was born with most of the exterior part of his ear missing, but his hearing was fine, it used to be that surgery to repair the missing part of the ear was considered unnecessary, for looks only, plastic surgery and not covered by insurance. Same with post-mastectomy breast reconstruction. It was considered a vanity thing and not covered.

Until some loudmouth, argumentative woman explained in a not-so-gentle-this-is-what-a-class-action-suit-is-going-to-look-like, you-morons, kind of way.

So, if you have a not normal body, that got that way congenitally, or from injury or disease (oh, by the way, morbid obesity is a disease), insurance must cover the reconstruction.

You just need to document it properly...and to find a doctor who will do the right thing. My now FORMER plastic surgeon figured out that he made WAY more money doing cash-only reconstructive work than the pittance the insurers would pay. So he wasn’t into documenting that kind of thing.

 

[DianaCox]

Actually, in the case with the boy with the missing external ear that was the touchstone for the legislation, he had NO internal ear and thus no hearing possible on that side, so having an external ear (which gathers sound and focuses it into the internal ear) was argued by the insurance company as being purely cosmetic. That was deemed too restrictive.

And I didn’t actually bring the argument to policy change myself - I litigated through appeals to the CA DMHC, who ruled in my favor - and then the insurance company refused to comply with their order to cover my reconstructive surgeries. So I convinced a class action attorney to take the case.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Actually, in the case with the boy with the missing external ear that was the touchstone for the legislation, he had NO internal ear and thus no hearing possible on that side, so having an external ear (which gathers sound and focuses it into the internal ear) was argued by the insurance company as being purely cosmetic. That was deemed too restrictive.

And I didn’t actually bring the argument to policy change myself - I litigated through appeals to the CA DMHC, who ruled in my favor - and then the insurance company refused to comply with their order to cover my reconstructive surgeries. So I convinced a class action attorney to take the case.

Well...I’m claiming the following:

1–little princess spent the night. She went to bed at 9pm. Got up at 11pm. And at 1am. And at 3am.
2–princesses notwithstanding, I watched the Mueller hearings, starting at 5:30 am local time.
3–I’m a septuagenarian...on opioids.

HOWEVER, please note that I didn’t IDENTIFY the loudmouth, argumentative woman.

 

[DianaCox]

We have been unloading the RV in the Phoenix heat - we’re exhausted. We went to bed before 11, which is bizarrely early for at least me - and we both woke up at 3:30 am to the sights and sounds of a thunderstorm, which we of course went outside to enjoy. We couldn’t go back to sleep so I started the coffee early at 5 am, and settled in to watch Mueller Time.

I outed myself - but I think only the newbies didn’t already know .