Frustration..anybody else having surgery in Portland, Maine??

[nhverve 0]

Hi I just need to vert a little. I met with my surgeon who seems wonderful on 11/25. At that point we scheduled a surgery date of 1/15. They then send the request over to my insurnace company. Well it's not 12/15 and my insuarnce company still hasn't recieved anything!! I've called the surgeons office and they receptionist told how shes very busy and will get to it by the end of the week, hopefully!! That was last week and my insurance STILL doesn't have anything!! How hard is it!!?? I'm just geting very anxious and I don't want to call again for fear that I will piss her off. UGH!!!!!!!!! Is anyone else out there having their surgery done in Portland, Maine? Have you run into anyything like this??

:thumbup:

[Questions 0]

Are you from CT.?

[nhverve 0]

Nope. Live in NH and surgery is in Maine.

[thebandedgirl 0]

Keep calling. And calling. And calling. The squeaky wheel gets the grease and all that.

Good luck

[Erin Marie 0]

So wait. They scheduled surgery before you got the go-ahead from your insurance? How is that supposed to work? Yes, sometimes insurance takes a week or two and you get processed right along. Then there are cases such as mine where they rejected me for six months till the Bariatric Center got an attorney involved on my behalf.

I hate to be pessimistic, but I wouldn't get my hopes up for January 15th surgery.

[nhverve 0]

Happy to report that Anthem recieved the paperwork (finally) from Dr. on 12/23 and as of TODAY 12/29 it is approved! I can't believe surgery is 17 days away!!!

[styms5 0]

Hi nhverve, Are you having surgery at the scarborough surgical center or Maine Medical Center? I had mine done at the SSC in September. Good luck with your surgery! Glad to hear your insurance problem is resolved.:smile2:

[nhverve 0]

Hi nhverve, Are you having surgery at the scarborough surgical center or Maine Medical Center? I had mine done at the SSC in September. Good luck with your surgery! Glad to hear your insurance problem is resolved.:smile2:

Hello styms5!!! Finally someone from my neck of the woods . I'm having my surgery FRIDAY at the surgery center by Dr. Cobean. Who was your surgeon? How have you done? I hope all is well.

-Kate

[styms5 0]

Dr. Wolff did my surgery, but I like both of them. I think Dr. Cobean's bedside manner is better(I work in the recovery room at MMC so I see them both.) I've been doing great. It's a learning experience. Best wishes with your surgery. My words of wisdom obtained from my post-op are:

1. You won't get 64oz. down in the first few days. 8oz took me 2 hours.

2. Take the pain meds.

3. The burp will come up or pass on.

4. Popsicles are good for that 'I have to eat something with substance' feeling.

5.You will feel great in a very short time.

Take care. Ask questions here-people here are great, especially when your feeling something and you can't figure out if it's right or not. Someone has had the same feeling and can help you through it. ---Sheila

[nhverve 0]

Sheila,

Thanks for the advise. I do have one question for you. What did you have to do in order to be discharged from SSC? Like drink so much Water or??? I'm anxious to go home that day but the RN at my pre op appointment said that because my surgery is the last one that day I should be prepared to stay... but that I wont necessaraly have to. Do you go to the Bariatric Center too? When did you get your first fill? I haven't met the RN over there yet just the nutritionists and social worker.

-Kate

[styms5 0]

Hi Kate, You have to drink 200-300 mls of liquid. They will have a water bottle there for you to have and you drink just a medicine cupful at first. Depending on how everything goes, you need to be up walking, drinking, comfortable, with vital signs(b/p, oxygen, heart rate) stable. My first fill was 6 weeks after surgery. The last time I went there they said they may start moving it to 4-5 weeks after surgery because the last week you start to feel really hungry. I go for a dietary appointment today and for I hope another fill, cause I'm to the point where I could chew my arm off . Both nurses that I met at the Bariatric center were nice. The receptionist can be very moody though.- Sheila