Shortest wait time

want2lose · July 10, 2006

I would love to know what some of the shortest time spans are from the first meeting / consultation / seminar to actual surgery. I know insurance can take a while, but am just curious how quickly some people were able to make it happen.

Thanks!

mousecrazy · July 10, 2006

For someone who kinda stumbled onto this surgery (recommended by orthopedic doctor), from idea to surgery, it took one month or so. I was amazed! My insurance did cover it, and I had already been under a doctor's supervision for weight loss, had a few co-morbidities, etc...49 years young, BMI of 45, I fit all the requirements.

I'mWiththeBand · July 10, 2006

I attended an information session June 3, 2006. I was really focused on getting this done and let everyone along the way know that. I met with the dietician, physcologist, had a cardiac consult and testing, attended a support group, a presurgical meeting, 5 day modified fast and office vists at my surgeon's office and am now scheduled for July 17, 2006. So, that is about six weeks start to finish.

Hope that helps.

want2lose · July 11, 2006

Thanks. I just started researching last week, and am very excited about the possibilities. I'm just hoping it won't take 6 months. I have many years of documented md supervised weight programs, and currently doing ww, so I am covered there. I have a BMI of 36, with high cholesterol, Knee, feet and back pain, asthma, and a mother with breast cancer, HBP, and type 2 diabetes. I don't expect to sail through with insurance, but my plan has a history of quick approvals for WLS. Self pay is not an option for me.

I have spent many hours perusing these boards reading everything possible. They are a wealth of information!

juliegeraci · July 11, 2006

Mine was pretty quick. I was able to get into the surgeon within a few days. From there I went to my primary care physician and got all the lab work done. From there I went to have my EKG and simulateously I worked on the phsyco eval and nutrional eval. I think in all total it was abou 6 weeks but it went really fast. Good luck.

vlb11752 · July 11, 2006

5 weeks from seminar to surgery. I was self pay though. I was also the first patient for the new program at a local hospital. Not my surgeon's first just the first for the new program.

Elisabethsew · July 11, 2006

For me, the wait was for the actual surgery time. I completed all the requirements for the surgery but the surgeon is popular and does about 5 cases a day (over 1500 lapband surgeries). Therefore, surgery bookings were 6-8 weeks wait time. It took 3 months from consult to surgery and THAT included fighting the first insurance company's refusal to approve me.

lisah25 · July 11, 2006

I would love to know what some of the shortest time spans are from the first meeting / consultation / seminar to actual surgery. I know insurance can take a while, but am just curious how quickly some people were able to make it happen.
Thanks!

This question came up in a support group meeting I was in recently, and the Dr. said the shortest he knew of was 4 days, but that person was self-pay.

Spydr · July 11, 2006

If I had wanted to, I could have gone from consult to surgery in 10 days. I chose to have 30 days of "last meals" instead. I was covered on Medicare and had got everything scheduled quickly. I enjoyed my last suppers!