6 month wait...

[soontobesleeved92 1]

My insurance requires me to have documented dr visits with my surgery center for 6 months before I can get approved and scheduled. December will be my 6 month.. But according to my surgeon, even after my insurence approves I can't have the surgery until febuary.. And it's not because that's the only time Available for the surgery center. And it's not anything that has to do with my insurence. Does anyone know why even after my 6 months why I'd have to wait another 2 months ? Has anyone been In this situation? I wanted my surgeon To clarify but I was in a rush to work after my appointment, and I don't go back I till November ????

[Elode 8,093]

Call them.

[perk4756 259]

Idk why either. It is a little process even after your last nutrition visit, but not two months. Yes definitely call and ask maybe. My last nutrition visit was September 9 th and I'm in a very large group having surgery and I'm the last. Mine is October 28th. But only because there were so many that unusually finished at the same time. Good luck! You will not regret this!!

[LoseItKacy 347]

It depends on the program. I had to have mine 6 weeks out. In that time I had to have a two week liquid diet, pre op testing done (another set of labs, EKG, ultrasounds, ect.), had to attend a pre op information class, and have a pre op physical done by my regular doctor.

It just depends. But it goes by fast! It will be here before you know it!

[cindyw41 761]

Maybe he's going on vacation.

[Jangy03253 56]

When my 6 month diet was up my doctor was happy that we went to the next step insurance approval. Although approved still waiting to try to get in this year.

[bikrchk 1,313]

My surgeon doesn't even see patients for the first consult until they've completed all the pre-op requirements are are ready to submit for insurance. All education and pre-op work is coordinated by his team lead by a Bariatric NP. So, I'd done 6 months with my PCP, a psych eval and Nut visit before I even met my surgeon to discuss which procedure, (I was tossed up between sleeve and bypass, eventually choosing sleeve). From the time I had my consult, it was 6 weeks, (so not that different than your 2 months). During that time, I was put on a liver shrink diet and had to schedule and attend several more pre-op appointments. Pre-anesthesia testing which let to the ordering of some more tests for lung function as they were worried about my asthma. EGD which took 2-3 weeks to schedule with the surgeon in a busy GI lab, pre-op blood work appointments, final pre-op appointment with the surgeon to finalize everything... My point is this stuff takes time. I'd be worried i they are rushing patients through. The pre-testing is IMPORTANT. It's where they find out if there are any surprises and design ways to make your procedure the safest they can. One thing that came out of my pre-testing was that I DIDN'T have significant asthma. What I had was silent reflux causing chronic night time coughing. I'd been improperly treated for asthma for YEARS. The EGD and subsequent visit to a pulmonologist uncovered the silent reflux, (no heartburn, ever). And they were able to put me on the right treatment plan and find and fix the hiatial hernia exacerbating the problem during my procedure.

I know you want to feel better NOW. I felt the same, but 2 years post op, (3 since the beginning of my journey), and now living in a healthy body for the last year and 1/2, I finally get "This is a marathon, not a sprint" in a way I could not comprehend before. Hang in there and do what your team tells you to do. It's SO worth it!

[perk4756 259]

I my 6 months I did several several tests also preparing for my surgery

[2goldengirl 2,076]

My first question is - what state are you in, and what is your health plan? I ask because my California health plan changed their policy July 31 and dropped the 6-month requirement. If you are Blue Shield of CA (HMO plans), you don't have a a 6-month waiting period any longer.

And definitely call the surgeon's office and ask why the additional wait. It could simply be a matter of scheduling. The scheduler has to coordinate scheduling for the surgeon, assistant surgeon (if any), and the OR at the hospital. Any one of those could get backed up.

At the end of the calendar year, elective surgeries often get backed up, because patients who have an annual deductible or out of pocket to meet want to get elective surgeries done before Jan. 1 when their annual deductible rolls back to zero. And surgeons and hospital staff are as inclined as anyone else to want to take time off during the holidays.

I hope this helps!

[The Candidate 3,215]

Depends on your particular program. My requirements included six months of classes, but with all the other things I had to do: like seminars, tests, working with their schedules etc., it took an entire year to get to my actual surgery date. But it was well worth the wait, and feels like nothing now.

[perk4756 259]

Exactly! Anything you have to do to have this done is totally worth all the waiting!!