Time frame for the Cleveland Clinic

If you are going to the Cleveland Clinic all I can say is good luck!

Unlike many who post here...I was not and am not impressed with either the Clinic or Dr. Schauer.  Personally I thought he was rude, dismissive and dishonest.

I am a DSer...and a while back I was considering having my sleeve tightened.  My original surgeon does not take my new insurance...so I thought I'd try someone here who does.  After going back and forth with the incompetent people who run the program...they kept trying to treat me like I had never had WLS....and finally having to contact the department administrator to clarily.  I got in to see Schauer.  That man made me jump through flaming hoops for 3 MONTHS!!

Then he calls me in to a meeting to tell me that he is not a specialist in the DS...and that he is not qualified to tighten my sleeve!  And then the 'wonderful doctor' refers me to a surgeon who is retired and stopped taking patients 3 years prior!!!

THIS IS AFTER MAKING ME HAVE THREE MONTHS WORTH OF APPOINTMENTS AND TESTS!!!

I was not appreciative of this...and I told him in no uncertain terms that I thought he was deceitful and a fraud.  He knew that I had a DS from the beginning...and that is when he should have declared his 'incompetence'...not after taking my money for 3 months!!!

Then Shady Schauer agrees to write a letter for me to my insurance company stating that he is sending me to a DS specialist (all of the ones in state are not in my network).  I wait for MONTHS but the jackass never writes the letter!  Oh he claims he will...but never does.  That was almost a year and a half ago...and he STILL has not written it.  And of course my insurance will not waive the out of network higher fees unless I can prove that an in network specialist says I need that out of network doctor!

This does not really answer your question...but I just want people to know that there is another side to the 'wonderful' Clinic and dear Dr. Shady Schauer!

Wow ,I am sorry you had such a hard time, hopefully you got your sleeve tightned and are doing well. I have never had any trouble with the dr only a couple of his nurses.

Thank you!

I have not found anyone to help me yet...still looking.  It seems that everyone around here wants to send me to the idiots at the Cleveland Clinic!!

I am probably going to have to go out of network and go back to my original surgeon and just have to deal with the higher out of pocket.  At least Dr. Elariny is wonderful!

I will keep my ears open if I hear of anyone I will share the info. Have you called Akron hospital? I know they are suppose to have a good program. What is your insurance? I think if I trusted my doc and had the troubles you did with the CC I would probaly just go with the out of network too. Save myself some un needed stress. Good luck.

Hi,
I am going Tuesday for my 3 hour seminar at the Cleveland Clinic.  Does anyone remember if the seminar runs on time or should I plan on being there longer?
Thanks,
Susan

they ran right on time when I went. Dont plan on getting out early though, but not late either. Others my have had a different experence then me but for me it was smooth right on time sailing. Have fun.

the total times that i had to take to get my surgery was 3 months but that was due to the idiots in the pschy dept who held my surgery up. depends  on your doc i had dr schauer who i love but i really hate going up there to see him u have to wait literally all day! once i waited 6 hours and never did get to see him and yes i still got a bill. i did get to see dr pitt whom i loved anyways. my friend is having her rny there and a new doc is starting and told her he could do it in a month. good luck

It took me about 7-8 months from my initial orientation to my surgery date.  I had my surgery 3 years ago though, and I know the Clinic has revised their processes since then.  I don't know if that makes things better or worse, or just different. 

Dr. Schauer did my surgery; I choose him over Dr. Chand because Dr. Schauer has done many more lap RNY bypasses and I was a higher risk patient (BMI around 62), so I wanted the most experienced surgeon who was covered by my insurance.  I've known other patients who used the other surgeon at the Clinic, Dr. Chand, and they were happy with him.  I do not know if they had the same issues about having to wait and wait and wait, then wait some more. 

Very few of us are good at waiting, but we often have to jump through many, many hoops to get insurance approval and to get a surgery date.  Do not get discouraged if the process takes time; use that time to start working on the issues you'll need to face as a post-op, educating yourself about nutritional issues, starting an exercise routine (even if it's just walking), and working on the psychological/emotional issues you have related to food (we all have them, and for me those were some of the toughest things I've had to deal with). 

Good luck on your continuing journey; it may be long and bumpy, but it's a road worth traveling.

Kellie

Hi Kellie,
Thank you for the information and the encouragement.
Today I had my  initial workshop at the Clinic.  Dr Schauer is going to be my surgeon also.
I am ready to start all my lab work, etc. and get ready to insurance submission.

It is really encouraging to see your photos and see the great success you have had.
I think you look amazing!

Susan

I went for my original consult/informational seminar in February of '06 and was "on the table" in November.  There were only a very few hang-ups with my insurance, but the wonderful financial counselor pushed it through. I also did MUCH research on the procedure and was ready for anything the psych department threw at me.  The psychologist was very impressed by my knowledge of the RNY procedure, the immediate after-effects and my handle on the whole process.  She approved me after one visit. 

I did not find Dr. Schauer "shady" or anything else detrimental.  He spent a good length of time with my husband and me, telling us what to expect, etc. After that, I routinely saw his "Fellows" on return visits and even while in the hospital after surgery.  Dr. Schauer came to see me once during the three days I was there.  There WERE glitches.  My surgery was delayed nearly 5 hours and I was never told why.  Also, I always had to wait a minimum of one hour during follow-up visits. However, I am very pleased with the results of my surgery.  It's not a cure, as Dr. Schauer told us at the originl seminar (which DID run on time), but  a tool.  Good luck with your journey!