Surgery Cancelled: Lesson Learned

Some of you who have been following my posts know that I've had nothing but trouble with the patient coordinator at the bariatric surgeon's office. Because of her incompetence proper medical release was not obtained. I had a surgery booked for 9/2/14 and was 8 days into a 14 day liquid diet. I'm a diabetic and have been having to titrate insulin doses to compensate for this diet. Lesson: don't trust the office staff to get medical clearance for your surgery. Instead, make appointment to see each of your doctors and get your own clearance. I'm out over $1000 in prerequisite appointments, have already paid my surgeon's fee for the cancelled surgery, and I'm out over $300 in protein powders and vitamins. I live on a fixed income. This has been one of the most disappointing days of my life. The bariatric surgeon knew I had fresh cardiac stents on my first of three required surgical appointments and told me that it shouldn't be a problem when I SPECIFICALLY asked, but it is now. The cardiologist released me for surgery; however, on a faxed request by office staff to hold the medication that keeps platelets from sticking to my stents the cardiologist said it could not be held. No phone call to the cardio was made to see if there was an alternative or to discuss the medical necessity of this as my lap band has failed and caused permanent damage to my stomach. This is not elective surgery! I've not yet decided if I'll seek legal retribution. I certainly don't want this to happen to anyone else.

Why exactly were you denied?  If it is because of the stents, or because the patient coordinator did not document properly?  Did your heart doctor approve you for surgery?

I wasn't denied. I am on Medicare. My surgery was approved. It was only at the 11th hour that the office staff faxed my cardiologist to ask about holding the platelet aggregation medication, Effient, that keeps platelets from sticking to my stents. The answer was no, that the medication can't be held until my stents are 1 year old. I told the bariatric surgeon I had fresh stents and the Effient couldn't be held on my very first appointment and he said it shouldn't be a problem. They have had 4 months while they made me jump through hoops getting prerequisite appointments done to clarify this. The bariatric office wasn't even the one that notified me. It was the cardiologist office who called me to explain why they had to say no to holding this medication. I then called the bariatric surgical office and asked them why this clearance had not been obtained prior to starting my pre-op regimen. The right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing at this office. Certainly I don't want to have surgery if there is a danger of my cardiac stents failing if the the Effient needs to be held. I'm perfectly willing to wait until my stents are mature, after next March. I could have been saved a lot of money and emotional trauma if the surgeon had been up front with me in the first place. Surely a surgeon with 13 years of practice under his belt should know you can't do elective surgery on a patient with medication secreting stents until those stents are 1 year old. I'm on a fixed income. This is emotionally and financially a hardship. I'll be honest. I have a counter full of protein powder that replaced groceries for the remainder of the month. I can't go buy groceries tomorrow. I'm a brittle diabetic. These surgical offices need to realize that their incompetence has an impact on people's lives that it's not a casual thing.

Sorry to hear about your set back, but we need to see specialists for that exact reason. The bariatric surgeon specializes in bariatric surgery,they are NOT a specialists in cardiology! Be glad the cardiologist has your health in your best interest, and avoided any complications. 

I do agree your office should have had all the clearances before even scheduling surgery. My office did. 

Good luck, just hang onto your protein and will not have to purchase it later, or return it (unopened ones). I returned a protein powder I got from Walmart... it was so gross. 

Chelly, is that surgeon going to return his fees that you already paid for surgery?  If not, I would be thinking legal action.  I am NOT a fan of frivolous lawsuits (!) but I wouldn't let him keep any of that money and I would fight for some of the pre-req money too.  Might not be possible to get that but I would try.  Can you look into a different surgeon for possible surgery next year?

Just so you know, I had three stents put in in March and had my WLS surgery in July. Nobody thought it was an issue. I was on Plavix until one month before my WLS surgery. Maybe that is why your bariatric surgeon thought you would be okay.

I'm so sorry that you had to go thru all that, can you at least get the surgeons fee back?, even though he's not a cardiologist he didn't know about the medication thing & he should have at least checked into it b4 you went thru the whole pre-op requirements, if they won't give you the money back then they should apply some type of credit to your account so that you won't have to pay again.