Question:
How long is too long to wait for a first appointment with your surgeon??

I went to a WLS seminar 4 weeks ago and filled out all the necessary paperwork. I was told someone would call me. So far nothing. I sent an e-mail to the office manager and she said I would hear something "soon". Is this routine and normal for the first step? I am dying to get going on this. What should I expect?    — Phatchick (posted on August 18, 2009)


August 18, 2009
The doctor might only have certain days of the month that he schedules consultations and probably wants to get a full list before calling people. Since his time is split up between surgeries, post op, and pre op, he might just need more people for pre op appts. If it still seems like a long time, call the office and forget about sending an email. Call them and ask them what is taking so long, that you have been very patient, but it has been quite a long time. And you want to get the ball rolling so to speak. I hope this helps for you.
   — Kristy

August 18, 2009
They approve me in three days,after I did a six month pcp diet,and there seminar,but because my dr. is so bussy,my appointment is dec 17,09 for my first one on one with Dr.so not to become so disappointed,I,m trying to stay positive!!But you might find someone with the same Dr. and ask them what to expect.Hope this helps!
   — rebecca W.

August 18, 2009
I am sure it all depends but I think that is too long. I had a similar situation and decided that if just getting the appointment was this frustrating what could the rest of the journey be like? I found a different surgeon who turned out to be better qualified than one I originally was going to see. It was no problem getting an appointment with him and everything was smooth sailing. If you can maybe you should look for someone else.
   — kaylazoe

August 18, 2009
I don't know what dr you are going with but this was my experience with HUP (Dr Noel Williams) ... I had to wait about a month to go to the seminar (they only schedule them on Wed), at the seminar they brought in people to schedule appts, I got my appointment that next week. I think a month is way to long to get an appointment, I understand yes that some drs only see patients on certain days, etc. but they should already have his schedule and at least be able to schedule you to see him. I would call and say you want to schedule an appointment, you went to the seminar. Good Luck!!!
   — wendy-s

August 18, 2009
I am afraid I must disagree with previous posters. The wait can be very dependent upon the area of the country you are in (large metropolitan vs. rural vs. mid-sized cities. I had my RNY 6 years ago in Boston. I called my surgeon's office in August (?) (may have been September, but I don't think it was) and did not get an appointment date until early December. That was just for the initial appointment. I called around to most of the other WLS programs in the Boston Metropolitan area and found most of them had a year's wait just for the initial consultative appointment! ONE YEAR. So, I stuck with my first choice, lol. I ended up having another OH member contact me (she lived in the Boston area too) who was switching from my surgeon to another and offered me her appointment time with my surgeon which was a few weeks earlier than my own scheduled appointment. Even still, my surgery, which got approved without a problem with the first submission, did not happen until March of the next year. So, initial appointment was Fall 2002 and surgery was late Winter 2003. It is troubling to me that we are so impatient to wait for this journey to unfold. You will need all the time you can get to prepare yourself and start making changes to your life style in preparation for surgery. If you see having this surgery as just another diet to loose weight quickly, and preferably starting yesterday, then I think you really need to check yourself at the door and examine your expectations and look closely at the issues that have brought you to this point. Instant gratification was one of the major issues underlying my obesity - That is something I had to give up in order to change my life and be successful in losing the weight and maintaining it and my health. Developing new coping strategies, finding new hobbies and interests unrelated to food and eating, and embracing myself and loving myself just as I was had to begin before surgery. Had I waited until after surgery, when all sorts of new issues are occurring every day, I would not have had the energy to make changes, start new habits, and implement coping strategies that were unfamiliar and uncomfortable. But having begun to develop new habits from the get go, after surgery, these new habits were already in place and automatic - had I not had that time before my initial appointment and surgery, I would have been overwhelmed and panicked by my surgery. But because I had the time to prepare, I didn't have to remember to pickup a craft project rather than food when I was feeling bored or upset or lonely. I just did it without thinking because I had developed the habit. Don't rush into WLS . . . this is far too serious and the issues that have brought you here will take much longer than two or four or six weeks to work on . . . slow down grasshopper and enjoy the journey . . . :). Really, it will be okay.
   — rebalspirit

August 18, 2009
I am still in the 6 month supervised diet part. I had to wait til I was in month 3-4 of diet to make the appointment with the surgeon. I had attended an info meeting back in February, and was received a call a week later telling me that I was a potential candidate. Right now I am in month 6 of the diet and all my testing will be completed as well, then the waiting period begins again waiting for approval from the insurance company.
   — Pgh Steeler Fan

August 19, 2009
It took about 2 weeks for me to hear from the scheduling dept from the surgeon after I got the go-ahead from my doctor. Then it was 4 weeks before I could get in with the surgeon for the consult. This seems insufferable to wait, but chances are if you are waiting like this, you have a well-known competant surgeon. Hang in there-it will be worth it!!
   — imalmost40

August 19, 2009
First seminar I went to in March, I had to wait until May to see him and if you read my profile I was fighing for VSG...denied 3 times and he refused to refer me for RNY or something other than Lap Band! So I went to another seminar saw that doctor in about 3 weeks because I had to kick and scream to the insurane to allow me to see another surgeon outside of my network and after that was approved it took about 2-3 days before I saw that surgeon. So I guess it depends on the doctor but I definitely would keep calling to show them that I am really interested. I am still waiting for final approval from the new surgeon I saw on 7/31 so that my paperwork can be sent to my insurance for approval (which from the previous denial letters says they will approve another surgery type other than VSG)!
   — Papoose79

August 19, 2009
I guess I'm fortunate. Made my first call Tuesday and have an appointment next Tuesday (7 days). My question -- What is the supervised diet for? What if you lose enough weight to disqualify yourself for the surgery? I suppose that's good, but would it be better not to lose much on supervised diet?
   — Debbi K.

August 20, 2009
Wow for me here in Michigan it took only a little less than 2 weeks to get my consult. Now I will be waiting for approval. I would never wait 4 months for my first appointment if I had a choice! That's just ridiculous!
   — Jennifer F.

August 21, 2009
I live in Rochester NY and I called the bariatric surgeons office the day after an orthopaedic doctor recommended her. I got an appointment no problem in 2 weeks, the appt is scheduled for next week. My ortho doc said he is going to write a letter in order for me to not have to do the supervised dieting period. I am not sure what is going to happen that day but I was told to bring insurance card, support person and a list of the diets that i had tried, the time period that I had tried them, and the outcome of each. Good luck in your efforts Jenn
   — AngelJen

August 21, 2009
I live in a large city in California.I got an appointment scheduled within 2 weeks or so. I expected to wait longer.
   — gay56-




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