What to do? ASAP

Hi everyone. Nice to meet you all. Well I wanted to first tell you all I have had misleading info on all the types of surgeries. I had first started out with one surgeon, I kept getting wrong info told to me, told me wrong things suppose to be doing, then even tried to say I didnt have my Nutrition eval, I did cause had the letter from the Nutritionist to prove it and had to take down there to prove it to them, then when I had my first consult with the surgeon I went ahead and made the appt for the psych eval right there cause he's in the same office (well so I thought I had made the appt), they wrote it down on a card etc. Well it was getting close to time for that psych eval so I called the office there to verify and confirm the date and time, well guess what, they didnt put me into the system for an appt, argued with me that I didnt have an appt, again had to take the card they wrote out down there and show it to them. Well then they told me even though my insurance dont require me to have a cardiac or pulmonary clearance, that the anethiseologist (?) does, so I called around to get my appts for those. I got my psych eval out of the way, then they argued with me I hadnt had that done yet either, well I had had enough of it, had to prove that to them to. So I got another surgeon, cause it made me very uneasy thinking if they gonna get things all screwed up now, whats to say they wont be like that with the aftercare as well. 

So I went to see the new surgeon, he had asked me which type surgery I wanted, asked him bout the DS and he sd he reserves those for patients with BMI over 50 (mine is 42), I know thats not true cause person *****ferred me to him wasnt a 50 and she got the DS surgery with same surgeon. Well then he moved on and said the 2 options I would recommend for you is the rny or sleeve. I told him that the previous surgeons office said my insurance wouldnt pay for a sleeve (which is more info not correct from that office) he said well only best option left is the rny then. So he marked it down on my file to have the rny.

Well the patient advocate from his office called me got all my info, and all my weigh-ins so far that I have with my pcp (insurance requires 6 months supervised diet), she says so your sure you want the rny, I sd no I was told my insurance wont cover the sleeve, told her which insurance I have, she looked it up and yes it does cover it. So she sd if thats what you prefer call back at the doctors office and tell them to mark your file as a sleeve not rny, so I did.

Well I got to doing my own research and have found that most ds says best for BMI of 35 or more. I also found that the statistics says after 3-5 yrs with the sleeve there is a greater chance of weight re-gain and need for a revision. I dont want that. So spoke with a friend who had the DS done recently with same doctor, she got me in contact with another lady and she explained alot to me about the DS surgery. After listening to her, my friend, doing my own research this is what I have decided I want. So I called the patient advocate to see what I am to do, she advised me to put it in writing and send to the doctor office, cause still goin thru the 6 months supervised diet and said I have time to get this on the right track that I want. So I did. Not heard a word from the surgeons office.

So my question would be after this long story (so sorry) is what to do if he still says reserves the DS for patients of BMI of 50 and over? Should I find another doc after this far with him (my last weigh in with pcp for the supervised diet is this week), or do I argue it out with him and tell him its either I get what I want or I find another surgeon who will? Or make another appointment for another consult with my surgeon now and discuss it more? etc?

I like some opinions on this matter ASAP as my last pcp visit is Wednesday and the patient advocate is gonna want to go ahead and submit to my insurance at that time.

If the surgeon you have listed on your avatar/profile is the one you're looking at, I'd run not walk away. There aren't any vetted DS surgeons to my knowledge in AZ. You might want to take a look at Dr Semper in UT or the list of vetted DS surgeons on www.dsfacts.com. 
I was only 36.8BMI with 5 comorbidities and the DS has been great for me. I'll be 5 years out in August. Please check dsfacts or post a new thread asking for Dr Semper patients feedback and to help you contact him.

--gina

You also could look at CA or Dr, Stewart in Denton TX

I would do what major mom said run an consider yourself lucky change that to VERY LUCKY you posted that info...............Kenya.

The DS works great for anyone who meets the standard criteria for wls, which you do with a bmi of 42. The best approach is to choose your operation first, THEN choose your surgeon. And if it's the one named in your avatar, you are better off elsewhere anyway.
     If you want the DS, and you are convinced that it's the best choice for you, then that's the end of the subject. You have clearly done your research. The medical records from your psych eval and the 6 months visits can all be obtained by you (there may be a small copying fee, but you have a right to those records) and transferred to a different surgeon. Check the list of DS surgeons at dsfacts.com and go from there.

Larra

I am going to Dr. Aceves in Mexicali, Mexico for my DS surgery on the 2nd of June. He is the president of the bariatric surgeons association of Mexico and he is being assisted by the only vetted DS surgeon in Mexico, Dr. Ungson.
Since your in Arizona, your close to them, so that is a possibility also, that is, if your insurance will cover them.
At any rate, I would heed the others warnings about this surgeons lack of professionalism and run, not walk away from him.
This is a clear sign that you should not use that surgeon. Get copies of all the papers in your personal file with his office and all the other doctors you've seen for evals and take the information to one of the doctors that have been suggested here.
Good Luck and keep us posted.
Carla

What to do?  Run.  Fast.  Far.  And then count your blessings.

~Becky

my bmi was 35 and i would only have the ds,  could of had the rny 7 years earlier, no way,  Dr Anthone had no problem, and is a DS specialist. out of towners welcomed

 VSG did not work for me and my BMI was 36ish.  I guess it works for many people, but  I lost only a little weight and gained most of it back not shortly after.   I wish I would have gotten the DS the first time around.  Do what you know will work for you!   It is too depressing to go through such a major surgery and not have much results.   You can actually eat foods you love with DS and still lose weight.  For me losing weight was just as difficult with the VSG as it was without it (except for the first several months when you can barely eat anything).  

 I'm a Dr. Simper patient!! Highly reccomended from me! Let me know if you have any questions!!