Monifa415

Oh man...This is crazy So I have attempted with 3 different doctors to get switched, none fell thru. Mind you I DID go thru a Center of Excellence as advised to find these doctors in my area, yet they were all "out of network" surgeons. I was coming to the conclusion that none of this was meant to be, and I had decided to not follow thru with surgery, and then just last week I got the call from my "consultant" telling me i have been approved. But I have been approved with a surgeon in beverly hills?? I'm from the bay area, and was originally having my surgery done by a doctor in San Jose. Which I wasnt happy with (reason I was trying to switch doctors) I'm so confused. So now what??? Take it as a sign? I got what I wanted, a new doctor so just go with it? Beverly hills??? why put me with a surgeon so far away? I dont get it. It's been about a week, and i havent called my consultant back, I'm so confused i dont know what to do. I wanted this so bad, was working so hard towards it. Then with everything going the way it did, i was hoping to NOT get approved (an easy way out of this decision). This has been such a rollercoaster. Im soo scared because of the luck ive had overall, im thinking the worst. Then i go look up this weight loss center in beverly hills and see nothing but negative reviews and a few lawsuits. GREAT I will call my consultant today...

Update! Based on my experience that I posted in Introductions I was told by many to use a Center of Excellence to find myself a new doctor. I have done this and found 2 surgeons in my area that I have considered calling! Super stoked about that The thing is I just completed my second sleep study last week which resulted in me having a score of 31 (which is considered severe) and just scheduled an appointment for a technician to come to my home and set up my CPAP machine. So technically I have completed all my approval requirements and I'm just waiting on insurance approval. My question is should I call these other doctors and try to switch now? Or should I wait for my approval then attempt to switch doctors? I want to call now and get it taken cared of, but I feel like some how it will affect the approval process. Is there any truth to this or am I just being paranoid?

Thank you guys for the replies I called my current office and they said they had not submitted my paper work yet, so I took advantage and called the doctors I was interested in. The first one didn't work out because apparently some places charge a membership fee? Something that's not covered by your insurance and HAS to be paid before surgery. This specific place charges $5,000.00 for 5 years! That's nuts! So I went with my second choice and they are currently requesting insurance info to get me started.

Hello everyone! I'm new to this online forum stuff, never done it before so please be nice lol I'm 27 and I live in the SF/Bay area. I just recently decided to take on this journey with the Lap Band, I went to my consultation about 3 weeks ago and I'm just about done with all my testing for insurance approval. I'm having so many mixed feeling about this whole thing and I don't know who to turn too, given my experience has involved everyone I could talk to and so far has not been what I was expecting. Let me explain... My original consultation was very strange and akward, not to mention the huge stack of paper work I had to fill out twice which is totally understandable but may I add that EVERYTIME I'v come in for anything I'v had to sign the same stack of paper work over again. I felt like the whole process was rushed, the doctor that spoke with me during the consultation didn't really have much to say and pretty much had the same answer to every question I asked. And honestly didn't give me much, I found more answers to any questions I had myself by researching online. I spoke to a nurse, doctor, psychologist, nutritionist and a "consultant" all in about 20-30 min. The nutritionist could barely speak any english and just the same gave me blank answers to any concerns I had regarding the pre opt diet. My experience with the pschycologist was over the phone for about 5 min to which I was asked a few questions and then told to tell my consultant that I was "cleared". My consultant (lets call her Lisa) then booked me for my Endoscopy/Ultrasound etc. All of this done while being recorded by a camera. Very strange to me. I had to request the time off for my appointment that lisa told me was ONLY available on weekends (I'm off during the week which I though would have worked out perfect) Negative. Also my appointment was going to take place 1 hour away from where I live so since I was going to have to travel and request off from work to do this, I decided to do everything in one day ie. my sleep Apnea test also. Lisa then told me under no circumstances should I speak to anyone regarding canceling or rescheduling my appointments, to ALWAYS speak to her directly. Within the two days prior to my appointment I received 7 different appointment confirmation calls from 7 different people, the first coming from lisa. After the fourth call I called her back to notify her that I was receiving non stop calls and she apologized saying they weren't suppose to be calling me, and to not worry about it she would confirm my appointment for me. Why not do this after our first call?? Then of course I ended up receiving 3 more additional calls the last one being on the morning of my appointment day confirming that I was comming in at 12noon (my appointment was scheduled for 3pm). I told the lady that my appointment had been set for 3pm checking in at 2pm but she rudely insisted that lisa had scheduled me for 12 noon check in at 11am. I told her there must be some kind of mistake that I would call lisa. I call lisa to find out she changed my appointment and didn't even bother calling to let me know, or at that if I was even available that early REALLY?? I told her I wasn't free and I wouldn't be able to come in that early, not to mention the drive alone was 1 hour. She said it was fine and she would see me at 2pm. I arrive for my appointment at 2pm (filled out same stack of paperwork) and was called in to begin. Complete deja vu from my consultation, akward, uncomfortable and rushed. The doctor enters the room asks me a series of questions, explains the procedure (endoscopy) and walks out, never giving me the opportunity to say anything whatsoever. A nurse then comes in asks me the same exact questions and as she attempts to draw blood she mentions to me how unfortunate it is that I wasn't able to arrive any earlier, that they had many cancellations that day and that I was the last appointment for the day. And because of the late hour that I had arrived, the doctor was going to miss his flight going home to LA. But they were going to try their best to finish up with me as soon as possible. In my opinion completely uncalled for and unprofessional on her part, something you definetely do not say to a patient. She then leaves the room after her attempts to draw blood where unsuccessful. The nurse then comes back with the anesthesiologist who then asks me the SAME EXACT questions again and also attempts to draw blood, with no success he eventually moves down to my hand numbs it and attempts a few more times. After digging with the needle for about 5 min he's finally successful and leaves the room. All of this also being recorded by a camera, why??? I'm changed and preped and ready for the endoscopy procedure, a surgical nurse then enters the room and YES ASKS ME THE SAME SERIES OF QUESTIONS and explains what is about to happen. The time comes and as I'm being rolled into the OR I hear the anesthesiologist say to the doctor "theres no point in rushing now your definitely going to miss your flight" Are you kidding me??? I come out from my anesthesia and immediately taken for my ultrasound. After the ultrasound I'm directed to a room were another female doctor comes in and begins asking me a different series of question in which she never at any point let me finish answering before moving on to the next. At this point I was extremly annoyed and couldn't wait to leave that office. When we were done we made our way back to the lobby to find the entire office empy, everyone had left. I had my sleep study scheduled later that evening so I left the facility to have dinner before returning. I completed my sleep study with amazingly no issues whatsoever and departed early the next morning. I got a call back a few days later with the results of my sleep study to find out that I would have to do it for a second time. The guy I spoke to explains the procedures for the 2nd sleep study and proceeds to book an appointment for me. I then find out from him that I could have gone to a office that is 10 min away from my house to have my previous procedures done! AND that availability is open ALL WEEK including weekends!! I was livid! I was able to book my 2nd sleep study on my day off which will take place this tuesday. If your still with me at this point lol these are my questions: Have any of you been thru this? Or is this just my luck? Am I able to get another consultant? Are they assigned to you thru out the whole process or only during the approval process? If so who would I call to request another consultant? There hasn't been a single person I'v spoken to more than once except for lisa, and I'v seen many faces so far thru this process. I need some kind of stability, assurance, something. I feel like lisa either has to much on her plate or just doesn't care, I haven't been able to express my feeling or concerns about anything with anyone. I have so many questions regarding the post and pre opt diet but who do I call? The lady who can't speak english?? There's so many people involved yet I'm feeling hopeless and alone, is this really as good as it gets? I'm praying to god the whole surgery experience doesn't turn out the same. I'm terrified about this whole thing and to feel like I'm just another "sale" doesn't make me feel any better. My experience so far has given me such a negative perspective that it's making me reconsider even doing it at all. I'm open to anything anyone has to say please

I do have a doctor, but I'm not happy so that's why I'm wanting to change. So that's where my question comes in about doing it now or after approval.

So I'v been browsing and reading and I keep hearing about this 6 month pre diet. What's this about? And what insurance requires this to be done? During my consult they never mentioned anything about a 6 month diet prior to approval. They said the insurance approval process is only a few weeks, and based on the insurance I have, approval would be really easy. But then again my consultant was a total mess, so god know if anything she said had truth to it. That actually sounds really discouraging, waiting for 6 months Please can someone educate me?

OMG I'm blown away by the support, you guys are awesome!! (Kinda teared up a bit) I know, I know I'm a wuss lol...Thank you so much for the advice. I sooo did not know I had the option of switching doctors or offices. I will definitely look into this ASAP. @ screeden That's exactly what it felt like! Being herded like cattle, not the best when I was already so nervous. Again thank you guys so much, I think I finally found the support system I was looking for I will definitely keep eveyone posted.