Good Morning Milk999....

When I attended the bariatric seminar in December of 2008, it was there I was handed a folder with the paperwork (23 pages of paperwork..BTW) and information about my surgeon and his practice, the different type of surgery options in great detail. I spoke with an insurance advocate that night and she explained the first step which was to fill out the paperwork. 

However, I wasn't asked to fill it out right at the seminar.  Something like this needs to be thought through and you need time to process and think about the whole big picture.  It's a life changing experience and you need and owe it to yourself to take your time. I don't think it was necessary in my opinion to fill out the paperwork there. I think perhaps that is what made you feel a bit overwhelmed. If it was presented to you and had the option to take home the packet I think you would have felt better.

After I turned in my paperwork I had to go through the insurance approving process which took several months. I met with my surgeon after I was completely approved through insurance. My insurance approval was in May and within 2 weeks after the approval came in I was scheduled to speak to my surgeon.

I preferred that time-line because it gave me time to think and write down questions and concerns to discuss with the surgeon. After I met with the surgeon in May I had to go through a few tests that were required in order to clear for surgery. 

After all the tests were complete, I was cleared to scheduled surgery in August.  I had my surgery (RNY) on August 4, 2009. So.... from the time I went to the original bariatric seminar on December 16, 2008 it was approximately 8 months (give or take) that I went in for surgery.  I'm not sure if what I just told you helped at all... I hope it did!! Please write back anytime if you want to talk....

I wish you all the best with your decisions... and your future!!

Take Care and God Bless.

2 months

Out of everyone that is thinking or has had gastric reconstruction, how long was it after the seminar you attended did you actually met with the gastric bypass doctor? Reason, I just went attended the seminar and in the packet they handed me I had papers to fill out about my insurance and were to turn them in after the seminar. A little scared to meet with the DOCTOR!!!!

Hi thanks for reply. I just got denied for my 2nd time.. Gets frustrating. I see u had a lawyer and help fom congressman. I had recently other month talk to people and local congressmans office, and they were more than glad to help me. Hopefully it works out.   

I  was denied twice and decided to go before the Administrative Judge, had to wait a year for that.. When I got the date, the previous people who had worked on the case had not sent any medical issues info in at all. I had documentation from my cardiologist, pulmonologist, GI doctor, Orthopedic Surgeon, and Podiatristand my therapist. They only sent info from GI doctor, so I had to try and get the records I had updated to the present. I got tired of fooling with it and called a SS Disability Rep who told me he really thought I could go in there to the judge and get the disability without him. I told him maybe so, but I'm tired of trying to get my records and them not wanting to release them, so that's what he was geting paid to do. I gave him the list of all the docs I had seen and addresses and phone numbers, all except for Rheumatologist who had moved and I had lost his new address and phone #. This was in May of last year. The guy got the initial hearing changed and eventually had the hearing before the judge in September. It went better than I expected and the judge told me before he left that anyone could clearly see I ws disabled and he was going to approve it. I couldn't believe he actually told me that before the hearing was over. I didn't have to wait for weeks or months to find out if they approved it or not. It took me about 3 weeks to get my initial check for backpay. They take last day you work and add 6 months to it to decide how much bakpay you get. I had last worked in June '07 and this was Oct'08. So addding thee 6 mos that you have to be unemployed to get disability, my effective date was Dec '07 ayntil Oct'08 for my backpay and then monthly checks started coming. on 25th month of receiving disability you start getting Medicare. My efffective date is Dec. 1st of this year, Remember they figured my disability date as Dec '07. I'm not sure how Medicare is gona go but I'll have Tricare for Life effecive Dec 1, too. To be eligible for Tricare you have to have Part A and Part B if eligible to keep Tricare benefits. (husband is retired military) Didn't mean for this to be so long ut I just thought I'd let you know a littleof what I went through. Actually it wasn't that bad, except the people who were supposed to be working on 2nd appeal. Judge told me the people should have given me disability the first time I applied but that they didn't take all the facts into consideration. Well, I'm off now.  Gook Luck to you and hope you have a speedy victory.                     Linda