Giving Up On Surgery

I wrote an email last night to the office surgery coordinator to see what my options are. I explained my problems with the psych eval and told her I was disappointed that an office that had been so professional so far was using some one so inexperienced for psych evals. I have a diagnosis of Schizoaffective Disorder that I thought would be my problem but he completely discounted that diagnosis after less than 15 minutes. I'm waiting to hear back from her and we will see if they will have anything to offer. I appreciate your response and I will continue to try to iron things out for a little while longer.
Blessings,
Karen

Karen, honey, Dr. Hodge was my first denied surgeon of 11.  I never even got to the psycho part yet.  I was in a wheelchair with a broken hip and pelic.  That was 2003.  I was denied 10 more times because of poor psycho tests because of physical and verbal abuse as a child. Dr. Colquitt in Maryville accepted a letter from my shrink who I had been seeing for quite a while. Plus he took me on as a patient after just finding out I had leukemia.  All he asked was that I get my blood counts in normal range before the date was set.  I would try with him, you aren't that far from Maryville.  His staff is fantastic to work with, several on this board have gone to him and rave about his treatment in the office and the hospital.  That's how I met Annerenee, she was there for her consult.  I was there for my one yr weigh-in.  Please give him a call, you can't go wrong.  Dr. Hodges office is known for rejecting patients.  Dr. Colquitt also takes Medicare/medicaid.  Please don't give up, it took me 3 years of rejects, becoming a diabetic then leukemia before he took me on.  He does have his own psych, but will accept letters from your own shrink.  I'm a cutter also, plus homicidal.  Since having the surgery, forgiving my dad, my life has improved.  Even with the weight down, my leukemia is in a semi state of remission. 

I was ready to give up when I was diagnosed 3 years ago with leukemia.  This board became my biggest support group and kept urging me to keep trying.  I am so glad I did and I have no regrets.  Dr. Colquitt has a no mortality rate. He's never lost a patient in the five years he's been doing this surgery.  Here's his number:  865-984-3413, tell I referred you to him.  He's the best in that area.  As for Dr. Hodge, be lucky he denied you. 

If you give up now, you'll always wonder if there was another who could have helped you, this board told me back then that if I quit, I would always quit when things got tough.  That's how we become quitters..  I urge you to at least check Dr. Colquitt out.  You will need to attend his or Dr. Rays seminar at Blount Memorial Hospital before you can get a consult.  Please do this for yourself.  You owe yourself that much. Because I lived over 50 miles away (Bean Station at the time) I had to stay over in a motel within 10 minutes of the hospital for 5 days until the second drain tube came out at the office. 

You're in my prayers, love ya

Dr. Hodge hasn't denied me. I haven't heard anything from his office yet. I did send an email to the office coordinator and we will see what happens with that. All my other preop testing has been fine and Dr. Hodge said everything looks good and there is no reason why I shouldnt be considered for surgery, until this came up. I don't know if his office has been notified or not yet. I'm using Dr. Hodge because he is the closest to home who takes my insurance. No one in Knoxville or Maryville take my Tenncare. There is a possibility I can start all over with a Dr. in Nashville but I have to think about it before I will know if I am ready to go through all this again and risk getting flunked again on the psych eval. When I wrote to Dr. Hodge's coordinator I asked if I could get something from my own psychiatrist but I haven't heard back yet. I will just have to wait and see.
Thanks for your response. I'm glad things finally worked out for you.
Blessings,
Karen

If you don't pass the psych test, he won't do the surgery nor does he accept anything from your own Dr. I tried him 3 times and he still refused saying I had too many health problems. I had high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and arthritis at the time.  I saw his psych on the third visit, I failed and was denied again.  I even went out of state, had the consult, the nutrionial appointment the same day, and the psych test.  I was to have my surgery 3 weeks later as he was in the same city as my parents.  Because of the failure to the psych exam, I was told he would not do my surgery.  Dr. Colquitt was the only one who agreed and that was after I became a diabetic, still in a wheelchair, and newly diagnosed with leukemia.  He takes medicare and medicaid.  I have Tenncare through Blue Care.  Never received a bill. It was 100% covered except for the first $500 that I had to pay up front for registering, and admin fees.  He's worth checking out as an option. 

I wish you the best and May God travel with you on this journey, Kathy

Kathy, your surgery was in '06. Things have changed since then. When I first started looking into surgery I called Dr. Colquitt in Maryville and Dr. Boyce in Knoxville. They both work for different branches of Premier Surgical group. This group no longer accepts Bluecare. I wanted to use Dr. Boyce and even tried to change my Tenncare to PHP. 
Tenncare wouldn't approve the
change. I know there are surgeon in Nashville who take my Tenncare but I will just have to think about whether or not I want to start all over.
Karen                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Hi Karen, that may be true, but Dr. Colquitt still takes my Tenncare when I go for the weigh-ins each year.  Should you decide to try Nashville, let me know, you can stay with me if you need to.  Door's always open.  Just think about it.

Love ya, Kathy 

Thanks, Kathy, I will. Someone mentioned trying the weight loss surgery diet without the surgery and I think I"m going to give it a try.. I'll keep you posted on how things go.
Blessings.
Karen

You're in my thoughts and prayers.  Keep posting and let us know how you are doing. Love ya Kathy

DO not feel you will not be wanted here the website is obesity help not WLS help stay as long as you like you are part of the family now! We do not throw family to the wolves. May I suggest something? Try eating like you had WLS you obviously wont starve to death...LOL we havent. I am sorry for your upsetting news but as you most elequenty put it "YOU ARE HAPPY" Sweetie do whats best for you and do not ever think you are not wanted.

 

 

BIG HUGS TO YOU!!!!!!

Thanks. I might try that. I have heard someone else did that and made it. I wish I could find his story.
Blessings,
Karen