Just a tad irritated! *long vent*

So, Jauary 14th I get a call from my surgeon's office saying that my insurance is requiring 2 more things. A thyroid level and pulmonary OR cardiac clearance. So, I call my PCM to get them to fax my thyroid info cause I just had that done in August. My doctor was convinced I have a thyroid problem when I assured it, that I in fact do not. She flat out said "It's gonna come back positive." Oh yeah? Came back completely normal! Can I just take a second to say  I can't stand my doctor? So anyway, they faxed that over to the surgeon and then I told them about the other thing they needed. The nurse I was talking to said that my doctor was out of the office that day and wouldn't be bac****il the next Tuesday. She was taking a long weekend cause it was MLK day that Monday. I told her that I was leaving the next day for the Bahama's but to please call back during that week and leave a message so that when I got back I could call. So, she did that and when I got back I called. They made me an appointment that was a week away and they did an EKG. Everything on that was normal so she said she'd write a letter to fax to the surgeon. She also said she'd would like for me to once again, go to the lab and have them draw blood to check my iron. Again! Now, I've had my iron checked 6 times since August. They have all come back exactly the same. I'm not anemic, but my doctor keeps saying "You're close. Your levels aren't in the anemic range, but you are close." OK, and that's how my iron has been all.my.life. Apparently it's just a normal iron level for me. Oh and she also wanted to put me on blood pressure medicine because I ONE time, had a high blood pressure. Umm, yeah, that's cause they always use the small a** cuff on my big a** arm even though I tell them to get a bigger one. So, she took it again with a larger one and wouldn't you know it, it was normal. Anyway, back to the original rant. So, she tells me not to get my blood drawn that day, to come back cause she wanted me fasting. OK. Great. I left. Well, I have 3 kids and a husband who's here one week, gone the next. (seriously, he travels for work) So, unless it's in my phone to remind me to do it, I don't remember. So, yeah, I didn't remember to put the blood draw thing in my phone cause seriously, by that point, I really didn't want to do it anyway cause it was just going to come back with the same freaking result. Well, my doctor's nurse calls me the next week saying that my doctor needs for me to have that blood drawn before she can fax a letter to my surgeon. Umm, what? Why? It's an iron level that she has 6 other levels that are exactly the same. And, I need pulmonary/cardia clearance, does iron really have anything to do with that? Well the nurse says "Oh, she's checking your cholesterol as well." Well why didn't she tell me that?!?!? That's why I had to be fasting, was for the cholesterol. And why didn't she tell me that she wouldn't fax a letter until that came back? So there, I just lost another week. And so I've been calling her to see if she faxed the letter yet and with no answer. I finally called my surgeon's office today to see if she faxed it over. I haven't gotten a call back about that yet but I believe the woman who takes care of that stuff is only in the office on Thursday/Friday so I should hear something tomorrow. I hope! Cause seriously, this is getting a tad bit ridiculous. I want to get the band and be on my way and my freaking doctor (not surgeon, doctor) is being a PITA! I didn't like her from my very first appointment with her. And my husband is in the Navy so I really can't switch doctors. I mean, I can switch doctors, but I still have to be seen on the base and at the base hospital, etc. And from what I've heard, none of the other doctors are any better. So, at this point, why switch? It's just so irritating. I had to push my EGD back by a month because of my husbands work schedule. Then it was the holiday's when everything just kinda sat there and then I finally get stuff submitted to insurance and they want more stuff and now I have to deal with this doctor again and her dragging her feet. Have I said that it's just irritating yet?

Wow, I feel for you. I know that the pre-op tests and paperwork can be a pain. My suggestion to you is to get all neccesary paperwork from your primary physician and get a new doctor. Your doctor seems as though she's not really supportive of your decision and she seems to be throwing obstacles in your path. You have a right to request all your medical documentation from your physician. Maybe if you do that, you'll get all the necessary documents you need to complete your pre-op requirements. I had my procedure 1/27/11 and I went through a bariatric center, not a hospital. I had my initial visit 10/11/10 and had my surgery 3 months later. Are you going through a hospital?

Hi Karen,

It took me a year from the time of my first seminar to my surgery, actually 13 months.  That was the most stressful time of my life.  It was just crazy, but now that I look back at it, it's fading away and the reality is, that it was worth it. 

Hang in there, it sounds like you are so close.  Stay tough.
Kristi

I am so sorry this is happening to you. Have you considered going to another doctor all together? 

I am sorry you are soo frustrated..I know the feeling. It took me a year to get my surgery. It feels like you have to jump through hoops from start to finish just to better your life!...Please hang on!..You will get there even when you feel overwhelmed ad like there is no end in sight...Your day will come!...

Wow.  That is ridiculous.  I'm so so sorry.

Question.  I used to live in Augusta, GA and there was an Army Base there, Fort Gordon.  When I was there, I worked, briefly... I wasn't cut out for it, in a doctor's office and while we weren't on base, we did accept the Tricare military insurance.  So is there any way for you to see a doctor not on base?  I dont know that Ft. Gordon even HAD doctors on base or not, there are a ridiculous number of hospitals and doctors in Augusta (there are two teaching hospitals like directly across the street from each other plus another non-teaching one next to that) so maybe because of their location, they didn't need doctors on base, but it's just a thought.

Good luck!  It does sound like you are in the home stretch.

If the base clinic has doctors and isn't at the max capacity of patients, we have to use them. Tricare will grant you to go out in town only if it's a great reason. Most people get denied though. So going out in town isn't really an option. It'd be more trouble than it's worth. My doctor is actually a civilian who just happens to work on base. So it doesn't give me much hope for the quality of doctor I'd get out in town anyway.