Pre-op testing?

[BloomingLotus 179]

So I'm one week away from surgery on 1/29. The office hadn't contacted me since my last appointment in December - not even to tell me I was approved (I emailed them). So it's one week away and I literally don't even know what time my surgery is (I have been emailing the surgical coordinator with no response).

I call today because I'm concerned about my lack of information and of course the coordinator was gone, but I explained the issue to the woman who answered. "Oh you don't know about your pre-op testing?" My what? No.

I have done all of my insurance requirements and have approval. I have submitted bloodwork and just had my endoscopy. Nothing else was told to me.

What is this pre-op testing that they speak of?

[LifeWhichIsMine 14]

I know for me, my preop is a week before my surgery date. It is an over the phone thing. What mine are requesting is a current EKG, and current blood work. I just got my lab request in the mail today.

[della street 213]

Any way you can physically go the the surgeon's office and camp out till they talk to you? that's ridiculous....

[BloomingLotus 179]

Unfortunately, no. My job doesn't have a ton of flexibility. It's going to be problem enough if I need to take even more time off for another appointment (if I could even get one at this point). I've been on my pre-op diet for 8 days, this is not the time to make me (more) cranky!

[BloomingLotus 179]

She finally called me back today after I left a not-so-sweet voicemail again this morning. Apparently she never gave me 2 different packets I needed that had all this information.

I need an EKG, chest x-ray, and blood work, and to meet with the anesthesiologist. I managed to get an appointment next week, squeaking in.

I also need to get my PCP to sign off on medical clearance. This is going to be a stressful week!

[Grateful_Love 114]

Blah! How annoying! I hope I have everything in. I know I need to get another round of bloodwork for my pcp. But my last visit is in two weeks and then everything gets submitted for approval.

My last weigh in is also my "presurgery screening" or whatever. Hopefully no more hoops!!

If I were you i would be so irritated! I hope that you're hanging in there

[della street 213]

@@BloomingLotus Hang in there - my surgery is next week and as nerve-wracking as that is (and exciting!), the waiting and plowing thru all the insurance and paperwork hassles has been the most stressful (by far!) so far -- sounds like you're getting close, though -- after I had the EKG, chest X-ray and final bloodwork, those were the last things/hoops I had to do before submission to insurance and then I was approved in less than a week, w/surgery scheduled about three weeks after that - hopefully, you will have smooth sailing after these tests --

ps - now my big fear is getting sick or in a car wreck or something before surgery next week and having to postpone it - I'm ready to wear one of the paper masks grocery shopping tomorrow to keep the germs at bay, and I DEFINITELY wipe down the grocery cart handles, ATM buttons, etc., -- and then liberally douse my hands with sanitizer -- haha or not so haha

[BloomingLotus 179]

Yeah, I'm spazzing out. I'm an attorney and I appear in different courts and judges on different days and I already have next week scheduled. My flexibility is essentially nil. My bosses don't know about surgery (I'm using vacation time) and I really had zero intention of telling people but if this forces me to I have to and I will not be pleased.

Apparently my doctor requires an appointment for medical clearance, and my own doctor has no appointments before surgery. I have asked for an emergency appointment under the circumstances and I'm checking with the coordinator to see if another doctor from my practice can sign off on it.

I'm legit pissed. My emails go unanswered for 3 weeks and then now when i have 6 million other things to handle at work to prepare for I may have to just pick up and leave early on multiple days.

????

[BloomingLotus 179]

@@della street I have already submitted to insurance and have approval - these are the hospital/surgeon guidelines that I was never given on my last appointment. I'm scheduled for surgery on January 29th so now I'm trying to squeeze all of this in, in the next 3 business days.

[della street 213]

@@BloomingLotus OMG, OMG, OMG -- sheesh--

PS - I'm on the 29th as well --

[BloomingLotus 179]

I managed to schedule pre-op testing late in the day the 27th - but again need to leave work early.

The major problem is my PCP clearance. They're basically the worst run medical center I have ever encountered (switching after I'm healed for surgery) and getting anything from them is a hassle. It took 2 written, 1 in person, and 4 telephone requests to get my correct weight history sent.

They require an appointment for clearance. She isn't in tomorrow, and they don't have appointments before the 29th, so I'm waiting to see if I can see another doctor or what.

It's a good thing my blood pressure isn't being checked today because I would be through the roof!

How are you doing on the pre-op diet? After day 3, it's been smooth sailing for me. At this point I don't have any hunger or even real urge to eat!

[beautiful12no 42]

@@BloomingLotus - I thought the "Medical Clearance" was the final pre-op visit with the surgeon. My PCP was booked until the first week of February. I explained that I needed the pre-op medical clearance and the PCP called me and was able to squeeze me in next week.

Instead of requesting an emergency apt, request to be squeezed in and offer to see another doctor in the same practice who could use your PCP's notes to write the clearance. It is what I had to do. Best of luck and keep us posted on your success.

[BloomingLotus 179]

@@beautiful12no thank you. I have a 2 page form/checklist that needs to be filled out, so I'm hoping any doc from my practice will do. Heck, I just saw my doc and she wrote me a recommendation, she really could do this without an appointment but they are probably just covering their behinds. I know my doc isn't available tomorrow, but I might show up without an appointment and wait until they squeeze me in. I've been a walk-in before, I might just waste 5 hours of my Saturday. Well worth it to get it done though.

[tlemieux220 138]

I know exactly how you feel, I went through True Results and then was told that they cannot do the sleeve, I started this process in July with them. Then they had me do my psy eval and when I met withe the new sugeon he would not except the eval, so I had to do another one. Luckly they are using my weigh ins that I had already done in Sept, Oct, and Nov with True Results and I have to go to counseling before and after my surgery, or they would not do the surgery as well. I was able to get a clearance letter, and as of yesterday the submitted my file and tomorrow I am going to do my blood work and wait now for my PCP clearance and insurance to approval.

BloomingLotus I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you are very successful with the rest of your jouney.

[BloomingLotus 179]

Thanks so much for your support everyone, I feel like I'm losing my mind!

I just started crying hysterically at work - thank god I can shut my office door and hide.

I got a call from my PCP, who won't clear me until she has the results of my pre-op testing, which I can't get done until the 27th, with results on the 28th and surgery set for the 29th.

I begged and pleaded and she will see me on Monday, but now I have to take half a day off from work, when I really can't afford to do, but I will. She will do the physical Monday, and once she has the results, clear me on Wednesday, if all is well.

Apparently she writes up a report.

I'm not sure how all of this will come together on time. I have to hold out hope.

Maybe I'll call the pre-op place and see if they can see me later on Monday if I'm already off work.