First Dr. Visit yesterday...

FireDust · April 30, 2008

Yesterday I had the first visit with my doc to discuss the LapBand... much to my surprise, she seemed very unenthused about the whole thing. She said she has had a few patients with the lapband and they are doing very well, but was very... I don't know, unsupportive I guess, though she said "yes, I think the time is coming that you need to do something"

I'm wondering if that is because of the whole 6 months supervised diet thing that my insurance requires, she was sorta "well... we've never run into an insurance company that requires that before, most doctors are too busy for that".

So now what? She gave me the number for the hospital near here (still an hour and a half away) that does the surgery so that I can attend a seminiar, but what good is it going to do me if my doctor doesn't have the time? I'm in a very rural area and doctors here are pretty few and far between... so I don't know what to do...

AnnP · May 3, 2008

First of all, do you want this?? If so then Push On, go to the hospital and attend the meeting and do whatever it is you have to do to get this done.. and next time you meet with the doctor point blank ask them, do you have time to do this? Here's the deal, if you want this and are willing to PAY for this, then that doc Has to make time. You Are paying for it. Best Wishes...

Ann

kathystrick · May 3, 2008

Most doctors are too busy to see patients? That is what you are and it's not like she would have to be standing over you monitoring every bite of food you put into your mouth to supervise your diet. You are a paying patient, no different than if you were coming in for any ailment. Most insurance companies just want a record that you visited your PCP once a month to log your weight, BP, etc. and to show that you were actually given some sort of food plan. If she seems less than cooperative about the whole thing, contact the surgeon's office you are planning to use and ask if they can give you the name of a PCP in your area who is "band friendly". Good luck and let us know how it goes!