Finally got my date! August 18th... it will be here before I know it.

I have been very frustrated dealing with my surgeon's old office, that I began to lose hope. I did everything right away and by the book, but because of their incompetence I was getting 'lost in the shuffle'. My doc went into private practice, which is nice for him, but a nightmare for me. They didn't have my records from the nutritionist, my scope... nothing! I was terrified they would make me start all over (p.s. I did my 4 month stint with the nutritionist, and we were off on the date of the last appointment, so we had to start over!!! 8 months of nutrionist appointments out-of-pocket! Grrr.) I finally became the biggest pain in the butt and started calling the office several times a week. I would write down the names of everyone I spoke to and would ask them for daily updates on my charts, records, paperwork... whatever! They got the point (as best as this bunch could!) and they processed my paperwork with the insurance company. The next day the nurse from the insurance company contacted them to say she had begun the process of reviewing and submitting my information for approval. IN ONE WEEK THEY APPROVED MY SURGERY! I can't tell you how happy and annoyed I was... all at once. Excited that I was approved, but frustrated that the doc's office dragged this out about 8 months longer than it needed to be, I try not to think about the fact that I could almost be to goal weight right now... but about how good I will feel by next summer. If anyone is getting frustrated, or even feeling defeated... DON'T GIVE UP. Get firm with the doc's office. Send them faxes! Show up in person! (I did. Their facial expressions were priceless). Do whatever you can, as though your life depends on it.... because it does! If you don't feel like you are worth it, you are. I didn't always feel like I was worth the effort, so I started telling myself that it was like trying to win $1 million dollars... if getting them to cooperate meant $1 million dollars for me, how far would I go? It really gave me the incentive to push myself, and get them to do what I wanted and need. I'm 13 days away from my dream.

Hi, I have a date of August 18th also and I know what you are going through. I had similar issues with my office. What procedure are you having done? Would you being willing to stay in contact post-op?

Congrats! Thats great! I had the same issues with my surgeons office plys my PCPs office. Plus my mom had her surgery there 3 months ago and my dads is the same say as mine so between the three of us calling and emailing a few days a week they finally got it and got down to business. Mine is the day after yours in El Paso. Goodluck!

LOL Im on the 19th and it must be a rite of passage to get approved ,you have to be hazed first... Good luck to you well to Us all