Question for Dr. Enochs patients.

Hi,

I was just wondering what was your process from start to surgery date?  How long did you have to wait?  Also what was the pre-op diet, if there was one?  Anything else I can do to prepare?

Thanks!!!

I have State Employees Ins through BCBS and it took me about 6 weeks from my first visit til my surgery date.  After all the testing it was literally approved overnight.  Trying to remember all the testing:  psychological, meeting with dietician, heart work up/stress test, some type of ultrasound (can't remember), pulmonary (?) testing (breathing), pre op work up at Rex.

There was not pre op diet for me, my insurance didn't require it and Dr. Enochs did not, either.

He's a terrific surgeon - I have not had a single problem and it will be 3 years next month.  I had the surgery at Rex and they were great, too.  While in the hospital I hit the drip maybe twice, then started on tylenol and never used narcotics when I got back home.

Good luck with everything.

I have BCBS and the process was pretty easy for me.  After going to the seminar I went ahead and did my psych and nutrition evaluations.  Had to have lab work, EKG, upper GI, right upper quadrant U/S and chest xray.  Had to go back for MRI of abd due to abnormality on U/S.  I did all my preop and op at Wakemed Cary.  Insurance approved me in one day.  When I met with Dr. Enochs for scheduling he had an opening for the next day due to a cancellation!!  However due to work issues I had to wait another 3 wks but no preop diet was needed.  Had rlaparoscopic ny with gallbladder removal 8/25/10.  I'm 6 mos out and very happy with how everything has gone.  If you haven't gone to one of their information seminars - go, because they give you all the guidelines for preparing for sugery there.  Good luck!

Thank you both. 

I have had the lab work, URQ ultrasound, Upper GI, EKG and nutrtion consult already.  I go Monday for the Psych consult and Tuesday I have my gastro consult and sleep study.  I need to have a chest x-ray that was somehow overlooked when I went to Rex for the other tests.  Hopefully I will be able to get that done this week.  I am hoping it won't take too long for approval.  I have the state health plan/BCBS, so glad to hear things have gone smoothly with them.

I understand the need for a lot of these tests but a sleep test?  Why?  Do you know?

The sleep study is done to determine if you have sleep apnea. I was told that The anesthesiologist needs to know if you have sleep apnea so that he can monitor you accordingly during surgery.

It is my understanding they do this if you have not been diagnosed with sleep apnea and your BMI is over a certain number.  I have never been diagnosed with sleep apnea, so  off to a sleep study I go. 

So, while I'm on a roll asking questions, what happens in the first appointment?  They told me it would take two hours.  I can't imagine what they're going to do that's going to take that long.  Insurance has already approved me so that is out of the way.  I know there are still a lot of tests to be done but surely those won't be done during that first two hour appointment.  What am I missing?  Please enlighten me.

Honestly my appointment really did take two hours.  but alot of that time was spent waiting to see Dr. Enochs.  I first met with a patient rep and he went over all the testing I would have to do.  He also weighed me and took my bp, if I am remembering correctly.  He also went over the things I needed to do for insurance.

I was also told that I had been approved by insurance, but you are not "officially" approved until all the testing is done and turned into your insurance company.  I go today for my gastro consult and go back to Rex to get the chest x-ray that they forgot to do.

I had my psych consult yesterday and that was the one thing I was worried about, but should not have been.  It was harmless and they really just wanted to help you reach your goals.

If you have any other questions that I can answer, please let me know.  I am happy to help if I can.

The psych thing has me sort of scared too.  I'm on a couple of antidepressants and I'm afraid they're going to take one look at that and tell me I don't qualify.  That is my greatest fear.  I'm sorta hoping that they'll let me do the psych part first because I figure if I'm going to be thrown out, it's going to be because of that.  Anything you can do to reasure me would be great.