You have got to be kidding me!

Ok...so right when you think the roller coaster ride is about to end......It takes another sharp turn and heads up the long haul hill again.....

I am wondering if its time to change surgeons.....

I went into my original appointment for wls with nurst #1 and was told the surgeon would not perform gall bladder and wls at the same time.

Two weeks later I received a call from the other nurse #2 in the surgical clinic telling me yes he would do the gall bladder and wls at the same time; having gall bladder issues and finding out it needed to come out I trudged forward on a very careful diet and continued with my wls requirements, thinking this was good news...Only one recovery time.

Everything went well up until last Thursday when I called and asked if they had received all the necessary information to submit to my insurance....nurse #2 tells me they don't have my psychological evaluation and nutrition information to submit to the insurance. I explained to her that I called care coordination and my insurance doesn't require that your office does.  Ok...so she submittted my paperwork last Friday....The approval was received yesterday....so I called nurse #2 yesterday and gave her the news, she said great I was on for the 28th and she would call me back to set up the appointment with the surgeon....so here I sat... waiting for a call back ...so I called the surgical clinic today to see if there was any update on my appointment with the surgeon to find out nurse #2 is out until Wednesday, I am supposed to have surgery on Thursday, so I asked to speak to nurse #1....I figured they work in the same office, for the same surgeon maybe just maybe one would talk to the other....So here is the update.....

Nurse #1 informs me that the surgeon does NOT do gall bladder surgery at the same time as WLS.  I explained that nurse #2 had given me different information.....so round and round we went....So here I sit...trying to have gall bladder surgery to find out I could have had it a month ago and then finished all the wls appointments.

Only to find now that I am a go for wls...I have to do the gall bladder surgery first and then wait and have the wls surgery later....

The question I have is...how long do I have to wait after having the gall bladder out to be able to have the wls? So now I wait to get all the information I need.

Given this mix up and the paperwork "miss haps"...one being they called me to let me know my approval was received on Monday....and come to find out she was not even calling the right patient...she asked me if I worked for (Insert company name here) I told her I had never and do not now work for that company and she realized she had called the wrong person and given them the wrong news.....and now the right hand can't seem to communicate to the left....is it time for me to find another surgeon?

If this is indicative of what happens in the office do I dare find out what happens in the operating room? 

I am trying to be objective....but with the exception of my first appointment no communication has been straight forward and nothing has been concrete I am told one thing only to find out another....

I am tired of living in pain and so ready to get the extra weight off.  This is my life we are dealing with...I am a person...I am starting to wonder if my expectations are too high?

WOW that seems crazy-----there are so many surgeons out there that do them both together---what is the reason you where given for them not to do both at the same time???  Have you spoken to the surgeon directly---that would be where I would start---straight to the source!

  

Best of luck to you!
Maureen 

OK I see that you are having the Lap Band---is that the reason or is it the same for all Types of WLS???----just curious---

Again best of luck!
Maureen

I haven't been able to schedule an appointment with the surgeon due to the nurses. Its trying to get past the gatekeepers...

I will next week. I really can't wait any longer for the gall bladder and I was pushing everything through so there woudl only be one recovery time.

He won't do both at once due to the risk of infection.

I am just tired...its time...that's all.

Kristine

TOSS THEM LIKE A SALAD!

DR ROB LANDERHOLM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.pugetsoundsurgicalcenter.com

WHEN YOU CALL THE OFFICE ASK FOR KAREN, TELL I SENT YOU!

Puget Sound was the first surgical clinic I went to and Dr. Landerholm was great....However, they no longer take my insurance so they are out....

Bummer too...

Thanks for the suggestion though!

Kristine