I GOT MY CONSULT!!!!!!!!!!

I WAS INFORMED YESTERDAY FROM MY DOCTOR'S OFFICE THAT I WAS APROVED FOR A CONSULT WITH DR. JUAREZ. I AM SO EXCITED, IT IS JULY 15TH. ANY INFORMATION THAT I NEED TO KNOW BEFORE I GO? WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON THE CONSULTATION? HELP ME PLEASE!!!!!!!

I hope he's OK on the 15th, he's operating on me on the 14th!!! He might be exhausted! lol Anyway, write down all your questions. He really just talks to you a little about the different methods of surgery, so do your research. RNY, lap band, etc and bring your questions about how they relate to YOU! This is a job interview for him, so ask, ask, ask!!! Good luck! Bonnie B

You are so funny, I needed that. I will be thinking of you. Thanks, I will be doing my research even more this evening. sally

Yay!! Getting that consult date is so exciting! Congrats! Basically the consult is very unremarkable. I guess I was expecting fireworks or something. LOL But basically you go in, they weigh you, take your blood pressure and temperature. You go into a room, then the surgeon and/or PA comes in and explains surgery a bit and asks if you have any questions. And that's it. LOL I'm like that's it?? They said yep, file goes to dictation for up to 6 weeks (seems like forever), then insurance clerk in his office gets file and looks for what documents she needs from you to send to insurance company. Then insurance clerk sends precertification to insurance. Insurance takes a few days to a few weeks - depends. Aetna is fast. Then insurance company calls you (at least mine did) to say I got approved (well, I was denied first because insurance clerk at surgeon's office "forgot" to send 5 years of medical records and only sent 3). Anyway, if you are denied, don't give up hope because most people get denied at first and then approved. Seems crazy, I know. It's like how many hoops do we have to jump through? This is what you should bring to your surgical consult: * 5 years of PCP medical records showing your weight and doctor's notation of "morbid obesity" (labs, x-rays, hospital/ER records not needed) * If your BMI is over 40, no co-morbidities required. If your BMI is under 40, you will need to supply PROOF of co-morbidities - often included in copies of medical records above (co-morbidities = heart disease, type II diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension, etc.) * Completed application that they send you in mail - it's like 10 pages asking you your diet history, family health history and stuff. * If you have Aetna - 6 months of records from a DR supervised weight loss and exercise plan (weighing in once a month records plus actual diet plan) * Insurance card * Co-pay If you have hear/lung issues/history, Dr. Juarez might recommend a Pulmonary Clearance. Have PCP refer you to one. If your BMI is 50 or more at time of surgical consult, you will need to have a cardiac clearance. Have PCP refer you to one. The clearances you get done AFTER your consult because no need to go through them if surgeon says you don't need to. Don't wait until the insurance clerk at Dr. Juarez's office calls you to tell you what you need to send in. The more efficient and pro-active you are the better. Call your insurance company, find out what they require, bring what you can to consult. Also, one more thing (sorry - this is like a novel here ).....some doctor's offices charge for making copies of medical records. Tell them that it is for ONGOING MEDICAL CARE and your surgeon requires you to WALK the records into the office at your consult. They will not charge you for them. You will need to fill out a medical records release form in person or via fax at your PCP's office for them to make records and send them to you. WALK records in to the office. Do not have them mailed in by PCP's office. Trust me! Things get lost - they have a HUGE patient load. Okay, that should get you started. LOLOL Hugs, Trisha P.S. I hope I didn't scare you off!! Also, your profile says Dr. Blackstone. Why are you going with Dr. Juarez now? Insurance change? Just curious.

Oh!! For some ODD reason, Dr. Juarez just has a regular doctor scale in his office that only goes to 350. So if you weigh OVER 350, BEFORE your appointment, go to the 6th floor of the hospital. When you get off the elevators, you'll want to take the hallway to the RIGHT. That leads to the bariatric floor of St. Luke's (where you'll be when you have WLS). They have a scale in the hallway there (behind the waiting room area past the nurses station) that is digital and goes up high, so if you are over 350, weigh there first before going down to Dr. Juarez's office on 5th floor (his office is connected to hospital), that way you can tell the nurse your weight. Why he doesn't have a scale to accommodate patients over 350, I don't know. But waiting room is comfy because chairs have no arms and staff is nice. Plus you'll meet other pre-ops and post-ops in the lobby. We have like a mini-support group going on out there. LOL Hugs, Trisha

Trisha, Thank you so much for your wealth of knowledge. I jotted everything down right now since I need to see my PCP on Tuesday the 12th of this month, and my consult is on the 15th. I didn't realize that I had to bring some things to consult. I was under the impression that I just needed to bring my body. Oh, thanks for the tip on the scale. If you can remember anything before the 15th, please tell me. Thank you so much. So many people learn from you on this messageboard. I pay attention to these things. P.S. I did have to change from Blackstone to Juarez. But, I hear that both are just as wonderful. The only that frightens me is the level of after care from the nurses at St. Lukes. I don't have patience for mean people. I'm sure that will get me in trouble one day. Thanks Again, sally

They automatically took my husband to the 6th floor scale when it was time to weigh in at his 1st consult. I think they take you up there if they realize you weight more than the 350lb scale.