She's back... Dr. B back in town

Thanks Allie--I spoke with Wendy Jo and she said they would put it through BCBS. I also got the results of my sleep study and the it said I had "mild" sleep apnea and would recommend holding treatment of CPAP until after the surgery. Noreen told me that one of the NP had to look it over and decide if I need to have the CPAP or if it can be done as outpatient. If they tell me that I have to use a CPAP I think I will take all my paperwork and insurance approvals to another MD. I will call Noreen again on Monday to see if she heard anything. It is very frustrating--I am going to really look into the different doctors--I live in Tucson but am willing to go to Phoenix--I have looked at the number of surgeries that the MDs in Tucson have done and they don't compare to the ones in Phoenix. I need to get my surgery scheduled sooner than the orginial May 10--I could probably gain another 20 pounds. I may also try calling Dianne to see what she can do. Everyone on this message board is so helpful!!

Hi Sherry, Did the doctor make you have a sleep study in order to have this surgery? I have a Bi-level CPAP and now they want the results of my sleep study which was done in 2004. I am worried they are going to make me have another one and this will hold up my suregery longer. I am scheduled for March 8th but I just have a feeling this is going to cause a problem. I was just wondering if your ins. or the doctor required your sleep study. Also, where did you go for the sleep study? The place I went to is no longer in business. Thanks, Maureen

Maureen, You should be able to get a copy of your sleep study from your PCP or whoever ordered it. The people at the sleep study should have asked who your PCP was and a copy should be faxed to him--in fact my PCP wasn't the one who ordered the sleep study or cardiac clearance (it was Randi at Dr. Blackstones office) and my PCP has received both of them. I have asked both places to fax me a copy also so I will have my own record. Hope you find it and don't have to repeat it. I didn't mind him ordering those tests because I just thought it would give me ammunition to the insurance company in case they refused me. But when they approved me without any problems I started to resent having to have them done! Oh well. I will be glad in the end. I am finally allowing myself to get excited because they moved my surgery from May 10 to March 29!! Now all I have to do is start trying to lose the weight that they had told me about in Oct. I have probably gained weight since I had that appointment. I think it was a mental bloc****pt thinking that I will be dieting soon enough and will start as soon as a get everything confirmed. So I will start weaning myself off of my diet soda that I drink from sunrise to sunset. That is going to be the hardest thing for me! Hope everything is starting to fall in place for you!

Good Luck to you tommorrow, and best wishes for your recovery Dannielle!!! Erin

Hey All, I talked with Diane at Dr. Blackstone's office a couple of weeks ago. She said that they are still in the negotiating stage with UHC. This by what I have seen on the news in Tucson the last couple of days and also with my work at UMC, UHC is wanting to lower their payments to all the Doctors not just Dr. Blackstone. I am hoping that UHC will smarten up for everyone's sake. Northwest Hospital here in Tucson is looking at dropping UHC as a result of this problem. That will mean that Dr's Burpee and Chaisson won't be taking UHC either. This will affect alot of patients state wide. I am up for Dr. Blackstone to put a lap band over my RNY and I am hoping that this gets covered with UHC. I have the state plan, and I can't change insurance until Oct. 1. I can go to other Dr.'s that perform Lap Band, but was not impressed by the Tucson Dr.'s at all at the OH conference. I would go with Dr. Simpson if I can't get Dr. B to do it. At least he would answer my questions about this complication as the others say it doesn't happen to often to have the stoma stretch. Who's the uninformed Dr.'s in this situation. Dr. B has had this happen to a few of her patients, not too many. Deanne Dr. Blackstone RNY 11/9/04 lap band pending ins. approval