**Update**

Hello everyone. Thought I should post an update of where I am in all the process.  I am waiting for Amanda to submit my paperwork to my insurance company tomorrow.  I called today to have a psych eval with a doctor on my plan and was able to go there at 6pm and have it done. It was so much less stressful then I thought it was going to.  I was worried over nothing.  The doctor I saw was Dr. Marcil.  He is a very sweet guy, very nice.  I did have to take the test thing with all those questions but it only took me like 20 minutes to do, probably because alot of the questions were ridiculous. So thats where I am at. Playing the waiting game. Hope everyone else is doiing good.

Eli, Amanda is great. She told me exactly what my insurance required to get approved and once I did everything and got her the paperwork, I was approved within 2 - 3 weeks. She is excellent about calling back and keeping you informed about what is going on.  I am glad your psych eval went well. I think we all build it up in our minds that it will be worse than it is.  Let us know when you have your date! Congrats! Marli

Thanks.

That's great you already got your psych eval!!   I'm a bit confused, however.  I have been to Dr. Marcil before and called Dr. Kim's office to see if I could use him.  Jen told me that I had to use Dr. Ferguson.  Dr. Marcil would be on my insurance as well.   Plus, I've already done that test for him.   I need to find out what's going on.  Dr. Ferguson can't see me until mid-July, and I have to pay her $500 out of pocket...... Kristin, are you here?  Any thoughts?

I was also told that I had to use Dr. Ferguson. You can use a psych that is approved by your insurance, but Dr. Kim's office may not accept the results and you would have to do it again. You also don't get any break in price. Ali

I find it odd that you have to go to the doctor that they recommended and cannot go to anyone else. I posted this before that I was going to go to someone in my network and the only response that I got was that they would have to see the results to see if they are adequate.  To me a bariatric psych eval is a bariatric psych eval.  I want to speed up my process and not slow it down and if I have to wait until sometime in July to see who Dr. Kim recommends, then that would make me angry. That's just my opinion.

Eli, I agree with you. I think that as long as you have an eval done by s psych that has experience in bariatric surgery it shouldn't matter. I am going to try to schedule an appointment with Dr. Marcil today too. Do you know his first name so I can find the phone number? I believe that this is the doc that Dr. Jawad likes to use for his evals. How long did the eval take?

Ali

 

Ali, I went to a Therapist in Tampa and it took about an hour with him.  He also gave me the test afterwards but he said he should have given it before.  But no big surprises in either.  Dr J will accept most anyone who you chose, I went with the one in Tampa because I did not have to wait 9 weeks for the others.  He was ok and that was good for this process, I was approved and now on my way.  The main worry is if you are a binge eater and that is a problem with this surgery because you can defeat it.  If you live in Orlando you may get a different list than I got.    Richard Marcil is on Dr J list to go to.  One in Jacksonville, one in Tampa (the one I went to) and two in Ocala.   To answer your other questions on Dr J board, the first appointment will be a long day depending on when you arrive and register.  I was the third and was out by 12:30.  They start by weighting each of you and than Nicky (Office manager) talks about financial things and other important followup visit issues.  The main one is that you are always Dr J patient and he wants to remind you to keep coming in at least every year or two after your weight is lost.  Also talk about this website and how important the support is.  Than Kevin will review everything you have heard before and more and give you more info.  It ends right about the time you cannot sit any longer.  Than each person goes into meet with Kevin on one on one and than Odalys for insurance if you are using it.  You will also get a packet and info booklet with all the scripts for the tests.  Than you go home and start making the calls for appointments.  I found it best to get my own medical records and than I have more control over getting them.  My old doctors did not respond to the letter from Dr J for them.  I pushed and pushed to get them.  Good luck to you, I will be heading home from my surgery on the 3rd if all goes well.  See you some time down the road.   Sandy Wesley

Eli, I'm glad things are progressing well for you!  I went to my psych eval yesterday afternoon with Dr. Ferguson - it lasted at least 3 hours.  There were 2 computerized test - one with over 550 questions, the other with about 176.  Then there were 2 short written questionaires.   Dr. Ferguson was great, very thorough and compassionate but straight foward!  The results  were very eye-opening.  Identified issues I have to deal with, the issues that are causing the stress that are causing my emotional eating.  I'm a very social person and the eating and drinking that goes along with it could be troublesome for me.  But as long as I'm aware of those situations and that U.S. Bariatrics are aware, then they have the tools to help me get through it and be successful with my weight loss. I have to start walking and eliminate carbs right away - that's great advice for everyone!

I am sure Dr. Ferguson is great and an expert in the field considering she has sugery, but I am already paying $5000 out of pocket for this. Another $500 will kill me, or at least make me need more psych counseling. I will not give in, and if that means changing doctors well then that is what I will have to do.