Disappointed and Venting!

eyespy · May 16, 2007

Just needed to vent. I thought I was scheduled for a lapband seminar required by the surgeon I want to use. Turns out, I had the date wrong. It was last night, and I was out of town until last night for work. I wrote on my calendar that it was tonight.

This is the second one I've missed because I travel with my job. They only do the seminar once a month. I will not have to travel anymore for the rest of the summer. I cannot get a consultation with the dr. until I attend the seminar. I have attended one at another hospital, and it was a waste of my time. I have learned more by being on the web site than I did at the seminar.

I started crying when I got off the phone because this is another month I have to wait to even get things rolling. I know there will be a lot of insurance paperwork and requirements that will take time. Because I'm not traveling again until after the summer, I was hoping to get the surgery done this summer.

If I don't do the surgery this summer, I will probably have to wait until next summer to have it. That's another year of being obese and unhealthy. I am ready for a change!! I feel so sad right now.

Thanks for listening to my venting!!

cvaden · May 16, 2007

Everything happens for a reason, don't be down in the dumps. Just keep tring to talk to the doctors office and see if they can do ANYTHING to help. Where do you live? If things don't work out until next month start keeping track of days until the seminar to make time go by faster. GOOD LUCK

musicalmomma · May 16, 2007

Just needed to vent. I thought I was scheduled for a lapband seminar required by the surgeon I want to use. Turns out, I had the date wrong. It was last night, and I was out of town until last night for work. I wrote on my calendar that it was tonight.
This is the second one I've missed because I travel with my job. They only do the seminar once a month. I will not have to travel anymore for the rest of the summer. I cannot get a consultation with the dr. until I attend the seminar. I have attended one at another hospital, and it was a waste of my time. I have learned more by being on the web site than I did at the seminar.

I started crying when I got off the phone because this is another month I have to wait to even get things rolling. I know there will be a lot of insurance paperwork and requirements that will take time. Because I'm not traveling again until after the summer, I was hoping to get the surgery done this summer.

If I don't do the surgery this summer, I will probably have to wait until next summer to have it. That's another year of being obese and unhealthy. I am ready for a change!! I feel so sad right now.

Thanks for listening to my venting!!

I'm sorry The same thing happened to me in reverse...I showed up a night too early!!! I already had committments for the night of the seminar. I called the office and explained...they let me skip the seminar and come in for the consultation. I'm guessing since you talked to them on the phone already, you tried to get them to let the seminar slide. Perhaps if you persisted, they'd make an exception, especially since you already attended a seminar elsewhere. MAYBE they'd consult with you if you promised to go to the next seminar??? I know it's a little backwards, but it's a thought.

I hope you don't have to wait another month. I know how difficult the waiting can be!

CajunCutie · May 16, 2007

I agree with cvaden, everything happens for a reason. Try to stay positive and everything will work out.

Serena · May 16, 2007

Eyespy,

Something similar happened to me and it was so frustrating! I waited 3 weeks to attend a seminar at University Hospital in Cincinnati. They promised info on the lap-band , but at the seminar the surgeon said that he was against the lap-band and only did the other (more drastic) surgeries. So I tried to get in at another hospital but that month's seminar was full so I had to wait 6 weeks for the next open seminar.

Although you can get all the info on the procedure online, they probably want to be sure that you understand all the requirements for their particular program's approval as well as financial matters. Most programs charge a non-refundable program fee for the cost of the evaluations (my program charged $500).

You may be able to download all the information, questionnaires, and checklists from the programs website. If I had been in a time crunch as you are, I would have appealed to the staff for an exception. It couldn't hurt.......

I'm waiting for a determination from my insurance company so I should have a surgery date soon. Good luck to you!

mbdavis24 · May 16, 2007

I didn't go to a seminar they sent me one by email it was called the Emmi Seminar has everything you need to know from the seminar. I have Dr. McEwen of Fishers, Indiana. You should ask about that and you can watch it over and over and if at any given time you have any questions you can type them in and it saves it for when you go to see the doctor. I thought it was great way to learn about it right in your own home. And I learned everything I needed to know. Give it a shot. Just hang in there. Don't get down and out it will soon be your turn to get it done. Hang in there.

eyespy · May 16, 2007

Thanks, everyone. I'm feeling better. I just was feeling frustrated earlier. When I'm upset, I just like to gripe about it, and then I feel better. If I have to wait another month, I have to wait another month.

I just hope this seminar doesn't turn out to be as uninformative as the last one was. The last one I attended just talked about obesity in general and then described gastric bypass and lapband. They didn't discuss the details like the pre- and post- diets and all of the other things I have learned on this site. In my opinion, there's no point in attending the seminar unless you haven't researched either option. Oh well, I'm venting again!!

I'll probably call back tomorrow and talk to their insurance department to see if they can at least let me know of any specific things I need to do.

Thanks for the feedback.

LadyBlue · May 17, 2007

Is that the only dr. in your area that does it? Could you get in to another one? There's several where I'm at, so for instance, if one was booked completely, I could make an appt. with another and attend their seminar.

I'm sure you've probably checked on that, but just thought I'd ask. I'm the kind that will seek out one who's available and can fit me in asap.

Good luck!!!

eyespy · May 17, 2007

I have already been to another seminar for the other surgeons in town, but I only went for the information. I do not want to use them as my surgeon. The seminar I have not been able to attend is by the surgeon I want to use.

I am sure they have their reasons for waiting for the seminar, but it's just frustrating. I have been looking forward to getting this show on the road. I'm not so worried about fast tracking the surgery, I just want to get started with the insurance paperwork.

I know my insurance requires 6 months of dr. supervised dieting, but I am not sure if they just need my dr. to sign a form saying I have done that or if I will have to complete another 6 months after starting the process. I have BCBS of FL, but apparently there are a variety of plans within that. So, all I can do is wait.

I'd like to gt started on changing some of my eating habits, but I don't want to jump out of the 40 BMI because I haven't had a formal diagnoses of PCOS, although my dr. feels I have it, because I would need to have a comorbidity if my BMI is under 40. I'll probably go ahead and make an appointment with my Dr. and get an official diagnosis in the meantime.

girlinnyc · May 17, 2007

you know--that happened to me too--i missed TWO seminars--because of traveling for work! but--finally i got to the seminar--and then to my appts--and what do you--time still passed and now i am banded--and you will be too! call up and get your appt for the next seminar!

best wishes,

girlinnyc

mbdavis24 · May 18, 2007

No that's not the only doctor in the area. But I don't think they will let you go somewhere else to go to the seminar. I am sorry if I made it sound that way but I could send you my seminar I had in my email.

https://www.my-emmi.com/startemmi?access_code=12664661787 then type in my birth date May 30 1964 you can only view this until May 20, 2007 so hurry and watch it and if they ask if you are me say yes but watch it and hurry.