Getting worried.

[anonemouse 1]

I am sorta-technically approved, but denied officially until I can get my insurance company the results of my drug/alcohol screening and Upper GI test. I had the drug screening on 3/22 and the upper GI last Wednesday (3/28). So far, I haven't been able to get anyone to call me back from my doctor's office, so I haven't been able to get them to send my results to the surgeon's office. I am getting really worried now, because they are scheduling surgery dates for late summer already, because my surgeon is going on maternity leave. When I talked to the office manager a few weeks ago, she said the earliest date available would probably late July. They technically aren't supposed to give me a date until I get officially approved. This is a problem because I have to change insurance policies when I turn 24 on August 2nd. I'm starting to get really tense and worried that I'm going to have to go through all of this again because I can't get a date before I have to change insurance. :omg:

I just emailed the office manager to see if we could go ahead and at least tentatively schedule my surgery, since all my insurance needs to approve me are the results of those tests. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I really don't want this to keep going and going and going....

[Alexandra 55]

Oh, sweetie, I know how hard this is. But you may not want to get the official approval too soon--sometimes those pre-approvals are only good for 30 days or something, so even when you do get approved they may withhold the notification based on the fact that surgery may not be done for three more months yet.

Jack's right--when it does come together you'll be all "where did the time go?" Try to stay sane in the meantime.

[juliegeraci 7]

Lauren, I would schedule your surgery. You can always cancel it. If you can go down to the doctor's office to get your results you may want to do that. Good luck.

[anonemouse 1]

got your spread sheet finished?

Yep. Right now I am working on the PowerPoint presentation and my abstract.

If you can go down to the doctor's office to get your results you may want to do that.

I can't, they're three and a half hours away.

[ReneBean 3]

Hugs Laurend.

We are all thinking good thoughts for you!

A firm phone call to your docs office might be in order. Explain that you need those test results NOW.

Good Luck!

[anonemouse 1]

Call them, stay on the phone with them while they fax you the info.

A firm phone call to your docs office might be in order. Explain that you need those test results NOW.

That's the problem. I can't actually talk to anyone. I have to leave messages on voicemail, and then they call me back. Or at least, they're supposed to. I called and left a message for the records department on Friday, and I called and left a message for the doctor's nurse yesterday. Still no call back. "Leave a short message and we'll call you back as soon as possible," my ass. I'll call again in a few minutes, after I finish lunch (I just got out of class).

[Mvpo8961 1]

laurend, surgeon's offices are used to working to accomodate changing insurances. That's why they are so busy in December people want to get their surgeries done before their insurance changes.

Be sure to tell your surgeon's office when your insurance is changing. That way they should be more accomodating.

You might have your surgeon's office call for the results. Doc's offices have a backend phoneline for calls from VIPs such as other docs. They would probably have an easier time getting through.

M

[anonemouse 1]

Can you find a doc that takes BOTH your insurance policies? The current one and the new one?

They take both of them, but if they schedule the surgery for when I am covered under the new policy, they'll have to re-submit my insurance once the new one is in effect. That's a problem because I have about 2 weeks between the time my new policy starts and the time I have to start classes again in the fall.

I finally did get a call from the doctor's office. They've got my results ready for pick-up, but I have to have my mom pick them up for me since I'm 3 1/2 hours away. Unfortunately, she can't get them until tomorrow, because she's working today.

Another thing about my results: Apparently, I have a hiatal hernia that I didn't know about.

[ReneBean 3]

Well, at least the results are ready.

Can your doc fix the hernia while he is in there placing the band?

[anonemouse 1]

Can your doc fix the hernia while he is in there placing the band?

I have no idea. I haven't even met my new surgeon or talked to her. All I know is that my insurance will cover her and that she's got a good record of doing lap-bands. I would imagine that she would fix it, but I don't know how large it is.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

we bandsters have to stick together!

Heh... not hard to figure out why your account was suspended. ;o) No doubt when you come back after your suspension (unless they made it permanent) you'll be at it again. Maybe if you worked for a better doctor he'd have more business and he could afford advertising instead of patient coordinators recruiting people on message boards.

$5500... you do get what you pay for. Especially in this case.

Edited May 20, 2009 by Oregondaisy

[married 0]

I am sorta-technically approved, but denied officially until I can get my insurance company the results of my drug/alcohol screening and Upper GI test. I had the drug screening on 3/22 and the upper GI last Wednesday (3/28). So far, I haven't been able to get anyone to call me back from my doctor's office, so I haven't been able to get them to send my results to the surgeon's office. I am getting really worried now, because they are scheduling surgery dates for late summer already, because my surgeon is going on maternity leave. When I talked to the office manager a few weeks ago, she said the earliest date available would probably late July. They technically aren't supposed to give me a date until I get officially approved. This is a problem because I have to change insurance policies when I turn 24 on August 2nd. I'm starting to get really tense and worried that I'm going to have to go through all of this again because I can't get a date before I have to change insurance. :omg:

I just emailed the office manager to see if we could go ahead and at least tentatively schedule my surgery, since all my insurance needs to approve me are the results of those tests. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I really don't want this to keep going and going and going....

Fax a letter with a complaint to the office manager that you have not been able to get a call back and you NEED to have the results. I have found that fax is better because it is seen by more people that way. A letter will sit on someones desk...so will a message on someones voice mail. Be a real pain in the butt...keep calling..keep faxing..someone will get sick of it and send the results.

[married 0]

They take both of them, but if they schedule the surgery for when I am covered under the new policy, they'll have to re-submit my insurance once the new one is in effect. That's a problem because I have about 2 weeks between the time my new policy starts and the time I have to start classes again in the fall.

I finally did get a call from the doctor's office. They've got my results ready for pick-up, but I have to have my mom pick them up for me since I'm 3 1/2 hours away. Unfortunately, she can't get them until tomorrow, because she's working today.

Another thing about my results: Apparently, I have a hiatal hernia that I didn't know about.

my doctor fixed my hernia that i didnt know that i had while he was in there doing the lap band

[ELL1021 0]

Hi. I'm new to this site and the idea of lap band surgery. I'm registered for a seminar May 20th. I've read a LOT on the internet about the process and was hoping to gain input from others locally. I'm 56 years old, 300#, 5'2", take meds for BP, cholesterol, have arthritis and they are currently scheduling me for testing for sleep apnea. Otherwise I'm in great shape. hahaha. My insurance pays for the procedure which I have read is out patient but I'd love to have a lot more input. I am reading a lot of great things in the threads but some horror stories too. I'm so anxious to be approved for this yet haven't seen anything stated that tells me what would keep me from being approved. Can anyone give me some great input? How long does the entire process take? What to expect, not to expect? Things like that.... Thanks so much!!

[keithf 2]

How long does the entire process take? What to expect, not to expect? Things like that.... Thanks so much!!

That varies from patient to patient and surgeon to surgeon.

*My* process took a couple weeks to reach the initial disapproval (they lacked some records of my sleep apnea tests which were performed years earlier in a different state). Once I got around to getting copies sent to them (a delay on my part of about 4 months), I was instantly approved to enter the program in late March.

The program involved a large amount of tests -- fluoroscope to check for upper GI problems, various blood tests, a urinalysis (to check for endocrinological problems that could be an underlying cause of weight problems), etc. The longest thing for me to go through was the psych exam. 10 minutes of me filling out a questionnaire, about 3 weeks of waiting for the social worker's schedule to clear up, and a 20 minute phone call to make sure I was realistic, had external support from family/friends, etc.

My surgeon requires a 10 week pre-op phase of dieting and nutritional counselling, which I just completed 2 weeks of (there are 10 months post-op as well). My surgery date (30 June) was established at the start of that phase. The psych interview I mentioned was completed Friday, just after my orientation class. (The bariatric program I'm involved with is very hands-on. My surgeon founded the program 15 years ago on the condition that this approach be taken.)

Overall, for *me*, the minimum amount of time that could happen would be about 2.5-3 months, and that would be if all the stars aligned. In reality, because of the missing documentation and my dalliance, it's actually been going on since October.

Pre-op, I will be expected to lose between 5-10% of my excess weight, eating at least 1200 cal/day plus exercise. I've lost about 15 pounds in the past two weeks and had a minor plateau that lasted about 3 days. I'm switching to checking weight every few days to a week now that the pattern's establishing itself.

Post-op, I will be eating less than 600-700 for as long as possible (I'm expecting about 300), with increased exercise. I'm actually having a hard time getting over 1200, and I'm not feeling hungry. Actually, it's dinner time and I've only had about 300 calories so far, and I'm noticing a little bit of ready-to-eat going on. I'll be having a dinner salad.

Of the people who make use of this forum, and follow their surgeon's rules, most seem to be losing 1-2 pounds per week. I've seen a small handful lose much much more (order of 1 pound per day), and some lose much less. IMHO, as long as you're consistently losing, you're doing it right.

As a result of losing this weight (about 120-150# from my peak of 350#), I expect to have a fair amount of loose skin. I'll be saving up to have work done to remove it. It would be nice to look like Craig Ramsay when I'm done (ModelMayhem.com - Craig C Ramsay - Model - West Hollywood, US), but that's not gonna happen. Instead, I know what parts of me looked like in college, and it'll be nice to see them again. I'll work on muscle god status seperately.

If you do not follow the rules you may not lose weight, you may experience discomfort or embarassment, and you stand an increased risk of complications. Follow the rules.

Edited May 11, 2009 by keithf
typos