Question:
medical clearance
Can you tell me who has more say whether you are accepted for surgery? Who approves you the surgeon or the medical clearance doctor? If the medical clearance doctor does not approve you when they are suppose to book your surgery date what happens then? Do you still get surgery? — cuppaloopy (posted on August 24, 2009)
August 24, 2009
At the hospital where I had my surgery if you cannot get
"clearance" from the cardiologist and pulmunologist then they
will not allow the surgery. I think my surgeon would also not perform
surgery if he felt you were at grave risk due to other factors. Remember
these bariatric surgeons don't want patients who are going to die on the
table due to other health issues as that would skew their statistics for
how safe the procedure is.
— rkurquhart
August 24, 2009
You must be cleared, usually your primary doctor needs to write a letter to
clear you, if you have a heart condition, then your cardiologist has to
write a letter too. If they will not clear you, they should give you a
reason and then you can see what needs to be done (whether you need to wait
longer, lose more weight, etc.). There is a reason why you must be
medically cleared for surgery!
— wendy-s
August 24, 2009
I'm thinking each doctor has their own way of clearing a patient, as I do
not know what a medical clearance doctor is. In my situation I had to be
cleared by a cardiologist, even though I had never had any trouble with my
heart. I also had to have my primary doctor agree to the surgery, but not
in a way that he "cleared" me, only in that he agreed to treat
"the new me"; some doctors do not like wls. If my primary was not
on board I would have found one that was. As to who actually cleared, it
was really the surgeon.
— Joseph Johnson
August 25, 2009
I am a little concerned with this myself, as my PCP is a little against
these types of surgeries, but his experience is with several failed lap
banders. He wanted to wait until I went to the seminar when I first
brought it up, thinking that would change my mind, but it didn't, I had
researched it for months before I made my decision, brought in all the
paperwork from the seminar and he did agree to do the monthly supervised
diets. So he's coming around. I just hope when it comes to the last month
he doesn't refuse to write my letter for me.
— eyeflirt4fun
August 25, 2009
I am going through the process now. My primary care dr. agreed to me seeing
the bariartric physician. After that meeting, I had to pass the
psychological testing, had to see a cardiologist and got clearance from
him. There was a 6 mth nutrition program to do. Yesterday, I saw a sleep
apnea specialist and tonight Im having a sleep study. The dr. yesterday
said he doesnt think I have it but they like to be sure.Then on Wed. Im
seeing a pulmonary specialist.That came from me. Ive had a croupy cough for
a yr and I dont want pneumonia after surgery so they are sending me to see
him. I have passed everything. After Wed. my surgeon will then apply to my
insurance companies and get approval and then they will schedule my
surgery.
There is alot to it but I know it will all be worth it after surgery. I
cant wait for my new life!!!!!!!! SN
— suzette N.
August 25, 2009
I believe it depends on the type of Insurance you have. I have BCBS and
they do not require any referls so my PCP had no idea i was going for the
lap-band until the WLC requested for my 5 month medical history. But my PCP
was very happy for me when i tried to get surgery last year and was denied
by my insurance. Now I got approval and on my way to a new begining. Good
Luck.
— sjh921
August 25, 2009
I haven't had my WLS surgery yet, but I've had lots of other surgery in a
number of different hospitals. I have always had to have a pre-op physical
- sometimes by the hospital, sometimes by my PCP. In the case of WLS
surgery, lots of tests are done pre-op. If the hospital or surgeon sees
anything of concern in the results (i.e., something that could cause a
problem during surgery), they want it checked out. I remember once there
was something on my EKG that looked like I might have had a heart attack in
the past. (I hadn't as far as I knew.) The hospital just sent my EKG
results to a cardiologist for review, and it turned out to be nothing so I
was "cleared" by the cardiologist. I didn't even have to SEE the
cardiologist myself. Both the hospital and the surgeon would be liable if
something happened to you and they had not made every effort to insure your
safety, so I would assume (not always a good thing I know!) that both the
hospital and the surgeon must agree that it's safe to operate on you.
— Gail T.
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