Scottsdale Bariatric ?

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone! Well I'm finally getting the ball rolling on my WLS. I am interested in Lap Band and will be going to Scottsdale Bariatric. I already did my application and seminar and on Monday 5/9 I'm scheduled for my long psychological examination, inital consultation, etc... Can anyone tell me what to expect ? They told me to plan to be there all day. I was also wondering how helpful Scottsdale Bariatric is in getting insurance approval. Beth

Hi Beth, I had the Vanguard Lap-Band put on in Nov 2004. I'm sorry I don't know anything about the Scottsdale Bariatric because I had mine done in Flagstaff. But It took me about 4 months after the seminars. I am very happy with my decission. I have lost about 45 lbs. I can eat almost anything I want, just small amounts. IT'S GREAT!!!! I have had 3 fills as of April 26th. If you have any question you can e-mail me! I love to talk about my surgery. I call my Band "My new best friend!" Terri Mully

Beth, I don't know what the psych is planning to do with you. When I had my eval I chatted with the doc for about 20 minutes and then took their stupid test. All this is, was a bunch of questions that your to answer honestly. They ask you questions about your parents and then give you four or five choice to pick from to answer the question. They say they can tell alot about your personality from this test. The test was up to 540 questions and you could take as long as you wanted. Don't get worked up about the eval. Basically all the doc wants to know is if you understand what you are about to do and if you have a good support system. Good luck! Dawn

Dr. Blackstone did my Lap-Band surgery on 09/27/04. I have also met Dr. Kieran. You couldn't be in better hands!!!! The psych eval isn't as bad as you think it will be. You really only tt the Dr. a few minutes. He asks you why you want the surgery and if you understand the risks involved and if you are ready to make the changes necessary after surgery. Then you take a series of computerized tests. There are ALOT of questions, but they are pretty much all the same question just asked different ways. When I did mine the psychologist "graded" my tests while I was still there and let me know he was recommending me for sugery. It was kind of funny actually, because apparently the tests determined I was too normal. Whatever that means. The Dr. told me that no one could be as well adjusted as the test indicated I was and he actually wanted to know if I had been honest in answering the questions!? Anyway, I wouldn't sweat it too much if I were you. Just remember it is a stepping stone to getting the surgery. In regards to the initial consultation, you will meet with Cassie, the nutritionist and probably Erin the exercise therapist. CAssie will tell you how to prepare for surgery & then explain eating after surgery. Erin will help you set some exercise goals and go over what is expected as far as exercise after surgery. You will probably also meet with Randy for a health evaluation. He will get your height, weight, blood pressure, etc. He will also go over whichever surgery you are deciding to have. You will also meet with the insurance specialist to determine what you need to submit for approval from the insurance company. They are REALLY good and staying on top of things and getting things thru. They will do whatever they can to help you get approval. My surgery was approved within 2 wks. It really depends on the insurance carrier though. Some are more difficult than others and all seem to have their own requirements. Anyway, hope that helps. You can always email me if you ever have any other questions. Good luck! Rachael.

Beth, Scottsdale Bariatric is the best place to go. I am so happy with the care of everyone that works in the office. Everyone is AMAZING. Even after surgery, they want you to be successful. I was really sick after surgery and I called the emergency number that the office has and they patched me right through to Dr. Kerian at 9:30 at night. I do not klnow of anyone else that would do that. Also on one of my follow up meetings, Dr. Kerian saw me from a far and came running over to me to say hi and give me a hug. I love that place and am so glad I went there. Good luck to you.

Thank you guys! I'm really excited that this I'm finally getting this show on the road! I cant wait to get my life back. I'm so tired of being uncomfortable and so self conscious about my weight. It is time for a change. I hope the insurance process goes smoothly. I have Cigna . I've heard bad things but I think I've met all their qualifications so we'll see. I'll keep you posted.

Wow! Sounds like the ball is rolling and you are on your way!! Cool! For my psych consult, I had two appointments. One was a testing day and the other was a face-to-face meeting with the physciatrist. The testing day took about 3-4 hours. I forgot what test is called - MMI or something like that? Anyway, there's like 800 questions for you to answer and you just fill in the little circles on the scantron sheet like you did in school. There's no wrong answer. To make sure you are answering questions truthfully/consistently you'll see a LOT of redundent questions in there and you'll think - gosh, they've already asked me this 5 times already! But then you'll get questions like, "Do you want to be a farmer" or "Do you like watching TV". LOL The psychiatrist evaluates you for understanding and knowledge of WLS, and your ability to follow the basic recovery plan post-op. Also to see if you have a network of support (family, friends, online buddies, etc.) that will be there for you for your highs and lows and support you every step of the way. I've heard great things about Scottsdale Bariatric and they do all they can to make sure you get approved! So hang in there!

I am going through Scottsdale Bariatric, and I agree with Rachael. The chat with the shrink is to find out what kind of family support you have and if you have a realistic view of what your life will be like afterward. I said I wanted to be able to go camping again and he seemed to like the answer. However if I had said I wanted to be a super model, red flags might go up. lol Dr.K is a sweetheart. I was impressed with everyone.