Need advice and prayers.

Tomorrow I am meeting with my pcp to see if I can get a referral for wls. On paper I qualify for the surgery but I am worried about the response I will get when I ask. I just hope and pray he says yes. I am hoping to get a referral for Dr. Lord in Pensacola. Anyone with advice on getting your pcp to say ok to wls would be greatly appreciated. Thank you to everyone on this site, you have been a true inspiration to me.

Hi Stephanie! I was pleasantly surprised to find out my PCP was agreeable to referring me for the surgery. I really did not think she would be in favor of it, but thankfully she stood behind me all the way...and still does! In the event that she had not agreed to give me a referral I was prepared to find another PCP who was more WLS friendly. That is about all you can do if you cannot get a referral from your current PCP. The sooner you ask your doctor the sooner you will know, so go ahead and do it...you might be pleasantly surprised and won't have to worry about it any longer! I chose Dr. Lord to do my surgery too! Good choice! Hope it works out for you.

Stephanie, I sort of proceeded without my PCP.... although she does not favor the WL surgery she has to agree now that it worked for me. I am 3+ years post op, good health and maintaining my weight. What I did do was to write all of the doctors I had seen to establish my health history. I requested a letter from my OB/GYN, my endocrinologist, my gastroenterologist and my PCP. I told them that I didn't want their particular endorsement for the surgery but a statement saying that my health problems would greatly improve with weight loss. I also asked them to include my recent weights over the time I had been under their care. This approach must have worked because they all responded and my insurance approved me four days after my surgeon presented my application packet. Best of luck.... luvitsunnyv

Hi Stephanie, I will be praying that all goes as you would like. I am also in Panama City. I had my surgery done here by Dr. Richard Wilson at Gulf Coast Medical Center last April, and it was the best decision I have made concerning my health and happiness. Feel free to contact me anytime if you have questions or just need to talk. Wishing you nothing but good news and support.