Just returned from my surgical consult

Okay, so I just returned from my first surgical consult.  Things went pretty good overall.  The surgeon was really personable and pretty funny.  He said things looked awesome and there shouldn't be any problems doing the surgery laproscopically (I was concerned because I was cut open hip to hip a few years back for my appendix).  I have to lose a small amount of weight before I can schedule surgery.  I spoke with the insurance lady also and because I did all of my requirements (lab work, psych, etc) all she had to wait on was the surgeon to put in his dictation and it can be submitted to insurance.  But (fingers crossed) she doesn't think it will be too hard for an approval with them because I have everything together.

But, here is kind of the bad news.  Apparently the insurance can take anywhere from 4-6 weeks to receive an approval.  And, on top of that, my surgeon is booked up through the end of the year.  He said that the earliest will be January.  I'm kind of dissapointed in the wait, but I guess thats all a part of the process.  With that being said, things went pretty good and I guess I am now one step closer to a new life!

Glad to hear that everything went well. Before you know it January will come along and everything will fall into place.


~Diana~

Ive been waiting for over a year! and let me tell you girl I have learned a lot. I think the wait is well worth it. Ive went to alot of suport group meeting, read some books and met people who have failed at weight loss surgery. Ive gotten a lot of good advice and Im 100% prepard. Just use the fact that you have to wait as an advantage.


SJ

january??? girl that date is so close "the day will come soner than you think", and 4-6 weeks to the approval?  i know people who had been waiting for more than a year to get an approval. so star to get ready, `cuz  is gonna happen very son.
hugs.
mariana.

You can not help but feel disapointing hearing that they are not booking till far out. I had my appointment the beginning of September, and got my date for December 11th. I guess that disappointing part about it is that you see people who just went to their PCP in June and they are getting their surgery early October. I wondered how that happens when I have been going to doctors and nutrition appointments and phyc etc etc for the last 10 months. I do think it is worth it though, I feel like I learn more and more and more every single day, and I know more of what to expect, and I am learning more about complications, and meal ideas and all of the above. I also have taken this time to work on chewing and not eating before and after meals. I have been working on trying really really hard on losing weight cause I know its only gonna help me. Just think about that stuff, that is what keeps me going.
 

Believe me the time will fly by and before you know it you will be there thinking holy crap!  its about to happen!  Just take this time to start retraining your eating habits, exercising and start taking your vitamins!

Just think-surgery in Jan and a nice smaller size for summer!



Marie

Thanks everyone!!    

I really appreciate all of your kind words and encouragements.  I guess when I posted, the intial dissapointment was fresh in my mind.  After reading everyone's posts and thinking about it more--January isn't really that far away.  It does give me more time to get things planned and make sure I have everything in line.

Januaray in Michigan isn't much fun anyway, so might as well be recovering when its snowy and freezing outside!  lol

Now-I just need to start working on losing that designated amount of weight by then...


Erin :)

yeah January really isnt that long to wait at all.
By the time I have my first consultation alone, I will have been officially waiting for a year and 3 months.  Then will have another 4-6 month wait for surgery (another surgeon in my area has a 2 year wait for consult, then another 2 year wait for surgery, so 4 years!!!)

The wait sucks, but use the time wisely to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally, get all the info you can, learn everything you can, and start preparing and putting together some info (recipie ideas, ways of dealing with certain possbible side effects, lists of things you will need to buy (like protien powder and vitamins and find where you can get them at the best price - you have time to shop around and do a little research), etc etc)