A home for their hearts Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I've been having issues with my gallbladder on and off for about 7 months. I had a few attacks in nov-jan., and then all seemed to be well until a couple of weekends ago when I had 2 bad attacks in less than a week and a half. I finally went to the doctor, I had no idea what was going on, and he sent me for an ultrasound. The ultrsound showed that I had gallstones the doctor refered me to a surgeon. I went to the surgeon yesterday and he recommanded taking it out but I have to pay my part of the surgery that the insurance doesn't cover upfront. Has anybody ever had that happen to them? I know when we had each of our children we had to pay our part by my seventh month but I never heard of having to pay before you had surgery! We have a very high deductable so unless I can find another surgeon who doesn't charge upfront the surgery will have to wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra in NC Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 The gastroenterolgist checked my husband's insurance and said we had to pay $600 before he would do the surgery. Then, when insurance ended up paying more, we had to wait about a year to get a refund from the dr. I think they were hoping we'd forget about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Sorry you are going through this. :grouphug: I just had mine out a week ago today and haven't seen a bill, yet. I know it's coming though *sigh* The surgery really was a breeze like everyone said it would be and I feel amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A home for their hearts Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 Sorry you are going through this. :grouphug: I just had mine out a week ago today and haven't seen a bill, yet. I know it's coming though *sigh* The surgery really was a breeze like everyone said it would be and I feel amazing! Glad to hear you are feeling better! I'm really on the fence about having it taken out anyway, I need to do some more research. Did you doctor tell you to eat a low fat diet for a month after the surgery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichelleWI Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I can't speak to the insurance issues. My gall bladder issues started when my daughter (born July 2005) was about 6 weeks old. The surgeon said something akin to "Dietary changes can help you keep your gall bladder but no one really sticks to that." Well, being of a personality to take things as a challenge I decided to keep my gall bladder and prove him wrong. I still have testy moments (like after consuming way too much homemade kettle corn the other night) but a quick switch to a temporary high-fiber, low-fat diet is just the ticket to get me back on track. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Glad to hear you are feeling better! I'm really on the fence about having it taken out anyway, I need to do some more research. Did you doctor tell you to eat a low fat diet for a month after the surgery? Yes, he said to really watch the fat, but I don't each much anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 My gall bladder issues started when my daughter (born July 2005) was about 6 weeks old. The surgeon said something akin to "Dietary changes can help you keep your gall bladder but no one really sticks to that." This is what I did for the last 15 months and it does help, but mine was just too far gone from years of bad eating habits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A home for their hearts Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 I can't speak to the insurance issues. My gall bladder issues started when my daughter (born July 2005) was about 6 weeks old. The surgeon said something akin to "Dietary changes can help you keep your gall bladder but no one really sticks to that." Well, being of a personality to take things as a challenge I decided to keep my gall bladder and prove him wrong. I still have testy moments (like after consuming way too much homemade kettle corn the other night) but a quick switch to a temporary high-fiber, low-fat diet is just the ticket to get me back on track. :) I've really thought about going this route but it would definitly be a hard change to make. I think either way I'm going to have to make some changes. I've already had to cut pop with caffeine out of my diet because it gives me a bad stomach ache. I really miss my cherry coke!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reesegirl Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 I have to have mine out in December. Before I had it out I thought that certain foods like peppers and onions gave me terrible pain in my chest and stomach...well, they still do bother me but not like before. I was so sick with an attack at Thanksgiving that I couldn't eat for 4 days! My daughter googled the symptons for galbladder attacks and I had them all! I just had had no idea that it was my galbladder! My husband took me to emergency and it was confirmed that I had stones and I had surgery 4 days later. My galbladder was infected so I had to stay the night at the hospital and came home with a drain tube for a week...a total bummer that really slowed down my recovery. (I have always eaten a low fat diet and still do.) After getting home I read everything that I could find on the subject. I found out that there is a drink flush that you can take to keep from forming stones. You might look into that if you want to try to keep from having surgery. I am not sure if it would have helped my condition. Also, several older ladies informed me of the adage, "fat, fair and 40"...it just hits the female population more than the male. I wouldn't consider myself fat but I do have a few pounds to lose. As for prepaying for the surgery...that seems a little odd for the nature of your condition. I had to prepay my doctor for my last pregnancy, my youngest daughter, but galbladder surgery is certainly different! You will see your doctor only a couple of times...once for the diagnosis, the surgery and then one post-op appointment. The total cost for my surgery-hospital stay-dr. was about $17,000 and our insurance paid all but $2300. Before this happened I thought what a relief it would be to have a hysterectomy and have all that stuff behind me...but when I think about 3-4 days in the hospital there is no way I want to pay that dr./hospital bill! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reesegirl Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Oops, make that I HAD mine out in December! It is gone, gone, gone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A home for their hearts Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 I have to have mine out in December. Before I had it out I thought that certain foods like peppers and onions gave me terrible pain in my chest and stomach...well, they still do bother me but not like before. I was so sick with an attack at Thanksgiving that I couldn't eat for 4 days! My daughter googled the symptons for galbladder attacks and I had them all! I just had had no idea that it was my galbladder! My husband took me to emergency and it was confirmed that I had stones and I had surgery 4 days later. My galbladder was infected so I had to stay the night at the hospital and came home with a drain tube for a week...a total bummer that really slowed down my recovery. (I have always eaten a low fat diet and still do.) After getting home I read everything that I could find on the subject. I found out that there is a drink flush that you can take to keep from forming stones. You might look into that if you want to try to keep from having surgery. I am not sure if it would have helped my condition. Also, several older ladies informed me of the adage, "fat, fair and 40"...it just hits the female population more than the male. I wouldn't consider myself fat but I do have a few pounds to lose. As for prepaying for the surgery...that seems a little odd for the nature of your condition. I had to prepay my doctor for my last pregnancy, my youngest daughter, but galbladder surgery is certainly different! You will see your doctor only a couple of times...once for the diagnosis, the surgery and then one post-op appointment. The total cost for my surgery-hospital stay-dr. was about $17,000 and our insurance paid all but $2300. Before this happened I thought what a relief it would be to have a hysterectomy and have all that stuff behind me...but when I think about 3-4 days in the hospital there is no way I want to pay that dr./hospital bill! Our deductable is $1500 and then after that it's 80/20 so we are looking a a really nice doctor bill, one in which we can not pay upfront, and even after the fact we would have to make a payment arrangement. I'm just holding my breath that it won't get infected. Why didn't they just take your gallbladder out the same day? Why in the world send you home with a drain tube? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reesegirl Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Stacy, I went to the ER on Saturday night for my diagnosis, on Monday made an appointment to see the surgeon, and on Wednesday had the surgery. I was actually glad that they didn't immediately take it out the night that I went to the ER. My two oldest daughters were home from college/grad school and I didn't want the visit to end with me in the hospital! The dr. found my gal bladder badly infected, almost had to do an open surgery with the big incision but fortunately was able to do it laproscopically. Because of the infection I had a drain tube that was put in place and it had to be there for a week. If it had been a normal kind of surgery I think I would have bounced back a lot quicker. Our deductable is $500. with the 80/20 percentage also. But to pay up front a big sum of money is a hardship to a lot of people. That really stumps me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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