2 quick questions

My surgery won't be until December or January (*hopefully*), but I was starting to think that getting my labs checked and fixing any low values would be a good idea now so I can go into surgery at my best.  Since I'm still pre-op should I ask my PCP to order the labs, or will my surgeon order these as part of the surgery requirements?  I'm hoping Dr. Kemmeter would order them, because if my PCP orders them as "preventative" my insurance won't cover any of it.

Also, I was looking at the different types of iron, and see that the Rx proferrin forte seems like the best. I have awesome prescription coverage, so I'm hoping I will be able to get script for that once I'm post-op.  Does anyone know if you can get a script for that WITHOUT being anemic?  Or will I have to wait until my post-op labs come back and see where my levels are?

Thanks.

Doing labs now and if you are low, bringing up numbers is easier before you are switched.  There should be lab sheets from Paclap, DSFacts, Gina, Michelle...

If Dr. Kemmeter is your surgeon, he will order complete bloodwork for you upon your first visit (pre-op eval/physical).  They are very thorough and will want to make sure you are healthy and all of your labs are in good shape prior to surgery. 

Thanks so much. I haven't had my consultation with him yet, so I wasn't sure if this is something he did, or if I would have to see my PCP. I really want to get any low values under control now.

No problem :) You are in good hands with Dr. Kemmeter. He is an awesome surgeon *****ally believes in this surgery. I hope that Kemmeter is the one at your seminar on the 6th, otherwise you may get a slightly askewed/biased opinion about the DS from one of the other surgeons in the office (so take what you hear from one of them with a grain of salt).

Also Kemmeter is planning a DS Extravaganza (seminar) soon. It will be at GHP on Saturday, Sept 17 from 1 - 4 pm. Everyone is welcome. I believe that this will be a great source of info and support for those both pre and post op & for anyone considering surgery (and even family/support members).

Do you have an appointment with Dr. Kemmetter yet?  They ordered my labs when I saw the internist there.  That was my first appointment, before the surgery consult with Dr. Kemmetter.   They gave me a very extensive list of labs to have drawn.  Just took them to a lab by my house.  They put on there that they are for pre-op, I with think your insurance would cover those, but they are all different. 

Do you have to do any weight loss period requirement with your insurance?  I went through a program near my house for that.  They checked my labs 3 times during that period.  My Iron was very low the 1st 2 times they did them.  I found a heme iron that I bought from Swansonvitamins.com.  Here's a link to the kind I've been taking.  Got my Iron levels up well into the normal range in about 2 months.
www.swansonvitamins.com/ET387/ItemDetail

Good luck!

I am going to his seminar on the 6th. I've researched a couple DS surgeons, and unless something goes wrong, I will be going with Dr. Kemmeter.  I already checked and he is in network for me even though I'm in Ohio :)

Yes I have a pre-op diet. Mine is 6 months. I started the pre-op diet in May, so it will be done in mid November. I started the diet before I even picked my surgery or surgeon. I just wanted to get the process underway.  So I'm hoping that if I get things going with Dr. Kemmeter now, I will have most of the things done by November when my diet is over.

The seminar I went to wasn't with Dr. Kemmetter.  I guess they take turns presenting.  But the doctor that presented was great,he  took the time to answer lots of questions after the presentation. 

Not sure what your insurance is, I think their policy is different depending on the insurance you have.  
I went to his seminar, turned in a bunch of paperwork & they told us they would call back in a few days to schedule an appointment.  After a week, when I hadn't heard back, I called to try and schedule an appointment.  They said because I have Priority Health, they couldn't schedule an appointment until I got the approval from my insurance for the bariatric consultation.  That approval required that I had already finished my 6 month weight loss period and I had to have my PCP fill out a form and fax it to the insurance company.  Your insurance may have different rules though, so hopefully they will get you in eariler than I was able to.  

Just to give you an idea how the process has gone so far.
I finished my 6 months on June 20th,  then it took 2 weeks to get the consultation approval.  I had a consultation with Dr. White about 6 days later & then saw Dr. Kemmeter & Scott (the behaviorist) 2 weeks later (Monday).  Now they had to submit to the insurance company for the actual surgery approval (currently waiting).  They told me that approval could be another 2 weeks.  Once they get that approval they will schedule a surgery date.  Dr. K said they schedule out about 4 weeks.  So I'm hoping to get a date in early September. 

Thanks for all the info!!!! I really appreciate it. As far as I know I don't have to wait until I'm finished with my diet for the consultation...but I could be wrong. I have Medical Mutual of Ohio Supermed insurance, but they are partnered with Cofinity in Michigan, so whoever is with Cofinity is in-network for me.  I don't have any experience with going out of state for health care, so I'm not sure if the process will be the same going to MI or not.  I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

I was REALLY hoping to get in by the end of december, but with that timeline I think I have a better chance of seeing pigs fly.  I'm not sure how the scheduling of it will go since I'm in nursing clinicals right now and I can only take time off certain times of the year.  So if I can't get it done in December, I may have to wait until May of next year . UGHHHH!!!!. 

They are pretty quick there...don't give up hope that it won't happen this year.  You'd be suprised at how quickly things can move with them (as long as you are healthy and all that good stuff).  :)