Hi, I'm new and already have questions...

Hi and thank you all for the information I have already gleaned off this website. I thank each and every one of you for your posts. Well after months of soul searching and investigation, I called to get a consultation with a surgeon. Great. First appointment October 17th. That's right, October. So I'm going to start researching other surgeons. Anyone have a Dr. they want to reccomend? Also it looks like they want 6 months of documented weight loss under a physicial or dietician to submit to insurance. I'ts been a while since I was in a structured program and I haven't always been to the Dr like I should (MAJOR White Coat Syndrome), so I will now get going on a documented program. Is this normal with everyone? I don't mind the wait as I want this done right, but I'm afraid after 6 months of a Dr's program, I'm going to be under the BMI requirements. This is great- loose weight to meet the insurance requirements, not meet the requirements because of not enough weight, then gain it all back (my life's pattern) and try for the surgery again. Not freaking out, just a little disapointed in the waiting...I will make the most of that time and get myself into better shape, but patience is not one of my virtues!

I'm right there with you. I made an appointment with doctor Schweitzer and couldn't get in for a consultation until August. A couple of folks on this MD board have recommended Dr. Kligman. He is supposed to be really good. If nothing else, though, he has a periodic free seminar about WLS that you can attend. http://www.umm.edu/weightloss/seminar.html -- it moves around, so there may be one near you well before October. At least you can get some questions answered and actually talk to a good doctor even though it wouldn't be a personalized consultation. Thanks to Stayce for that info. I will likely be attending the next one that occurs at North Arundel. Others have mentioned Dr. Barry Greene (not just today. ) Dr. Schweitzer is also supposed to be a superior doctor. From what I can tell, all three are great doctors and the differences between them have to do with personality and depth of involvement in aftercare. You can also go to the "Find a Bariatric Surgeon" section of this website and read the feedback people leave about their surgeons. http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/bariatric+surgeons+in+maryland.html I am not sure about what happens if you get under a qualifying BMI while dieting for insurance purposes. I had that question out there for awhile, but then I found out that my insurance won't pay for any of it regardless. So, I guess the silver lining to that cloud is that I no longer have to worry about whether or not I'll need to do a documented diet. The general consensus, though, was that the insurance companies require that just so that you can prove to them that you are capable of sticking to an eating plan, as you will need to stick to one post-op. I can't imagine, so long as you have your consultation first, that you will be turned away by the doctor if you get a little below qualifying BMI. I don't know for certain... but if your history shows that you yoyo below it and then go back above it with regularity... then that is your history. If someone got denied due to no longer qualifying, they'd just probably endeavor to put the weight back on or wait until they yoyo back that way before they see the doc again. I'd certainly like to see someone who has had that experience talk about it. Isn't it funny how we ponder this decision for ages, and then when we decide to go through with it and find out that we'll not be able to have the surgery for a few more months... suddenly it's hell. Makes me wish I had done all this preliminary stuff "just in case" while I pondered the decision to begin with.

Thanks for your reply Vicky. Unfortunately Green and Kligman are out of network for me. I've heard good things about all three as well, and I don't mind sticking with Schweitzer because it will give me time to be in the gym and get documentation for my ins. company. It will get me in better shape for my surgery and if it is meant to be that way, than so be it. I just hate waiting. Once I made up my mind to go ahead with this, I wanted it done immediately and I know that is not how things work. I will be sure to watch my weight closely and try to keep it above the 40 BMI.

If you have high blood pressure or diabetes or any other co-morbidities, you need only 35 BMI to qualify. Good luck.

ARe you required by your ins. company to stay in MD? I got my consult within 2 weeks... I was shocked. What ins. company do you have? Also what is your BMI now? (If you don't mind me asking) Also, most ins companies will accept Jennie Craig and Weigh****chers as a supervised diet ... just make sure you get copies from the center for your records (and no white coats usually at those centers). Good luck sweetie and keep us posted. wanda

My surgeon also had a 6 month waiting list. But you have a lot to do in that time. You need to document your weight loss attempts. You probably need a nutritional and a psychiatric consult. You'll need to talk to your primary care doctor about starting the 6 month 'supervised' diet. Your surgeon will probably have a checklist Once those things are done, you can probably call and pick up a cancelled appointment. You'd be surprised how many people cancel after waiting that long for their consult. This is what I did and I ended up having my surgery SIX weeks BEFORE my original consult date! Best of luck to you, it can all happen a lot faster than you think.

Thanks for all the replies. Although I'm a little bummed, I don't look at the wait as an altogether bad thing. And I realize there is a lot to do. Dr Schweitzer's office staff did tell me to call to check on cancellations, which I will be dilligent about. I have United Health Care, which seems like a good insurance company. I'm afraid to have much contact with them personally because I know Ins. companies can be weird, but I would like to exactly know their requirements. My coverage books do not go into great detail. Anyone out there with UHC PPO information, please fill me in. By the way, my BMI is 42 I don't usually have diabetes or high blood pressure, except when I go to the doctor's office. My white coat syndrome is terrible and my bp shoots through the roof, but usually by the end of the visit, it is back to normal. May be able to use that to my advantage... I will try to have everything ready so once that appointment rolls around, I'd love to be ready to go. I really wish I had put more consideration into this surgery early last year instead of later. I wold have been ahead of the game. Oh well, I'll try to get things in order, now that I at least have an appointment in the not so distant future. Hopefully this will be the last summer that the heat will be a problem for me. Thanks for all the support! A.

Ann: I'm not sure where you live but Dr. Roy Smoot is in Havre de Grace as head of Upper Chesapeake's Bariatric Program - New Course for Life. They are absolutely fantastic and he was lured from Delaware. Chris Bauer is the program director and Melissa Richardson is the insurance specialist who is also a WLS patient. I had my surgery on March 14th and couldn't ask for a better group of folks. Their number is: (443) 843-6360. Best of luck to you!! Pam

Check your insurance company's requirements carefully. Find out exactly who is allowed to supervise you 6-month diet (whether it must be a physician or nutritionist, or if you can attend WW or Jenny Craig), and what sort of frequency of visits and general documentation they need. I have Aetna, which has very specific requirements, and I made darned sure to follow them to the letter! It's an excellent idea to use this time to get into shape. I didn't lose any weight on my diet (maybe 2 pounds at most) but I did improve my cardiovascular and pulmonary health by exercising. It helped make my recovery pretty darned easy. I checked the UHC provider directory, and Dr. Barry Greene did come up when I searched (search by name, using Rockville MD as the location). He operates at Shady Grove Adventist, which is the closest of the DC-area hospitals to you. I don't know what sort of wait time he has, though. My own wonderful surgeon is Dr. Gary Harrington in Silver Spring. I waited three weeks for my consult with him, and my surgery was performed 11 days after I submitted my paperwork to his office for insurance approval (they gave me a surgery date on the spot!). I lucked out in the latter, since it's normally a three-week wait.

Best wishes on your decision and continued journey. Keep you date and visit other programs. I was concerned about post-op program which in many cases more important (at least first year) than pre-op. Dr's Gandsas and Li are out of the Sinai program. Dr. Gandsas is head of the department and I believe teaches at Hopkins as well. We were lucky to get him here two years ago from Univ of Kentucky. I was his 2nd surgery in Balto and at 18 months of making the most of my tool have a new lifestyle firmly part of my being. Oh, and over 100% of goal and not to toot my own horn but looking great! Anyways, since you have time, checkout other programs and find out their requirements. They can even tell you what your insurance will require. Best Wishes! Lisa