TEST, TEST, AND MORE FREAKIN TEST!

What can I say but geez...... I am in the process for getting gastric bypass. I went last month for the Mandatory Seminar. I turned in my paper work and Insurance info to the Coordinator the following day which was Feb 20th. She emailed me back and said my Intitial consult with the surgeon will be march 7th at 10:50 AM. I had to get a letter of medical neccesity from my PCP for the Insurnace company as well. Needless to say, I thought I was atleast half way done!!!

But when I went to see the surgeon, I had to tell him about why I wanted the procedure, and what I would like from it. Then after he thought I was a good candidate he sent me to see the Coordinator. When I went to see her I was given Instructions to go get blood work, which I did right after I left the office yesterday. I was also given a list of other appointments I needed before the paperwork is even sent to the damn Insurance company. Geez.......

She emailed me back today, and on March 12th I go for an Ultrasound of my Abdomen, XRays of my chest, and EKG. Then on March 19th I go for my first of the  two Mandatory appointments with the therapists for a Phys. evaluation. Then March 26th I go for a Test where I have to breath in a bag and drink some liquid then blow in another bag, to check for some type of Bacteria.
Then on April 6th I go for the appointment with the Nutritionist. Then when all of that is done and the Coordinator gets all the results in, she will put it in the surgeons box, and he will sign off on it, and send it to the surgery scheduler. Then I have to wait for her to call me with my surgery date. After that happens I have to make another appointment with the Nutritionist for my 2 week pre op diet, and go to hospital for pre op work, then go back to see the surgeon a week before surgery.

WOW, it sure is alot of steps, I am just so STRESSED about it all!! I know it will all be worth it, but I will be glad to be on the Looser's bench!!

ive always said this to potential surgery suitors...

 

THIS IS THE WORST PART OF THE WHOLE DEAL.!  it sucks!

 

the surgery was a piece of cake.. losing weight and learning your body is the fun part.. going to 15 doctors beforehand is a pain in the balls!

I've been running through the same things and I pretty much just finished up. I didn't see Upper Endoscopy on your list. You don't have to get one of those? I just had mine done. They look at your stomach and all that to make sure you don't have any issues with ulcers and or whatever before they close up shop on your old stomach.

Best of luck to you and make sure you keep following up to ensure all those Doctors that are doing the tests are sending the results to your surgeon's office. Sometimes they get busy and "forget". The little oops can set you back if they're not careful.

 

No I don't have to do the endoscopy. That's what the bag test checks for. It is a new thing I guess they offer.

This test is checking for H pylori

I feel your pain. My surgeon requires three appts with the nut before surgery, psych eval, physical therapy assessment, sleep study and at least one support meeting. THEN I meet with the PA to be medically cleared and the info will then be sent to insurance for approval...oh and they took a ton of blood on my consult day! Fun!

Well, sounds like you will have it "easy". Some of the insurances require 6 nutritional visits, such as mine. My surgeon even told me that some insurances even require 9-12 months even before turning all work in to the insurance for surgery date. I used to think that 6 visits was going to be hard to look at, but as of Monday, I only have 3 more to go! On Monday, I already had all my testing done at the same hospital as the surgeon, and also had the psych eval done too. Since the information session that was required 1st of all, time has flown by. That was back at the beginning of December. I have had all my nut visits scheduled so my last one will be June 3rd. I am just so excited that I am really doing this and going to be able to enjoy the rest of my life! It is all a process, and after my last visit, they will turn everything in to the insurance and just wait on the date for surgery.

Just be patient because as we all know, we just didn't become obese overnight and the fixing process is no overnight thing either! I wish you much success and hope you do get all your required things done and get the approval! Wishing you the best..........

You're lucky I had to go to a pulmonologist and a cardiologist and have an ekg and a nuclear stress test as well. It seems like it will take forever but I had my initial seminar the first week of march and had my surgery the first week of june. I would of had it sooner but work sent me out of town when one of the nutritionist classes was so I had to wait an extra 3 weeks for the next one. It will be here before you know it!

Thanks for all the encouragement. It just seems like forever.

I know exactly how you feel!  the whole "pre-op" process took me almost 5 months....that includes getting denied 2 times by my insurance company...ugh!, but like Ron said, this is the worst part of the whole process!  Take a deep breath....this too shall pass!