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From: LisaM
Remote Name: 66.20.176.210
Date: 03/26/02
Time: 07:51:42 AM
So I have just discovered that the bilitec monitor which checks for bilirubin in the esophagus overnight is not yet approved by the FDA. What this means is that there is no coverage for it by any insur. co. This I was told yesterday by the office of Dr. Katz in Philly. Point in fact is that I know I don't even need this test to tell me what is happening to me during the night. I am refluxing plenty of bile into the stomach which then requires me to sit straight up to keep it out of the esophagus - or to walk around till it moves down.
I have been told that the few people they have found to have primary bile reflux there up at Dr. Katz have opted not to have the recommended surgery for this problem which is biliary diversion. This is bec. it is a very serious plumbing surgery which is wrought with complications and well, my mom in law says it's the kind of surgery they do when you have cancer of the intestines etc etc - definitely not to be taken lightly...
SO what exactly is the point of me going up there to have this test. It won't be covered - I'll probably wind up spending thousands not hundreds of dollars on this trip - only to discover what I already know. I think I should put myself back on the xanax and hope for the best. It stopped it three times b4- last time I needed .75 instead of .5 to stop it - maybe bec. it was really bad. It is now as well, where I cannot even recline a little, without the bile advancing. Took .5 last night - maybe I'll take the .75 tonite - it usually takes 10 days or more to kick in...
Anyone else taking xanax - what dose are you taking at night?
Some days this really gets me down....