Question:
medical clearance

Can you tell me who has more say whether you are accepted for surgery? Who approves you the surgeon or the medical clearance doctor? If the medical clearance doctor does not approve you when they are suppose to book your surgery date what happens then? Do you still get surgery?    — cuppaloopy (posted on August 24, 2009)

August 24, 2009
At the hospital where I had my surgery if you cannot get "clearance" from the cardiologist and pulmunologist then they will not allow the surgery. I think my surgeon would also not perform surgery if he felt you were at grave risk due to other factors. Remember these bariatric surgeons don't want patients who are going to die on the table due to other health issues as that would skew their statistics for how safe the procedure is.
   — rkurquhart

August 24, 2009
You must be cleared, usually your primary doctor needs to write a letter to clear you, if you have a heart condition, then your cardiologist has to write a letter too. If they will not clear you, they should give you a reason and then you can see what needs to be done (whether you need to wait longer, lose more weight, etc.). There is a reason why you must be medically cleared for surgery!
   — wendy-s

August 24, 2009
I'm thinking each doctor has their own way of clearing a patient, as I do not know what a medical clearance doctor is. In my situation I had to be cleared by a cardiologist, even though I had never had any trouble with my heart. I also had to have my primary doctor agree to the surgery, but not in a way that he "cleared" me, only in that he agreed to treat "the new me"; some doctors do not like wls. If my primary was not on board I would have found one that was. As to who actually cleared, it was really the surgeon.
   — Joseph Johnson

August 25, 2009
I am a little concerned with this myself, as my PCP is a little against these types of surgeries, but his experience is with several failed lap banders. He wanted to wait until I went to the seminar when I first brought it up, thinking that would change my mind, but it didn't, I had researched it for months before I made my decision, brought in all the paperwork from the seminar and he did agree to do the monthly supervised diets. So he's coming around. I just hope when it comes to the last month he doesn't refuse to write my letter for me.
   — eyeflirt4fun

August 25, 2009
I am going through the process now. My primary care dr. agreed to me seeing the bariartric physician. After that meeting, I had to pass the psychological testing, had to see a cardiologist and got clearance from him. There was a 6 mth nutrition program to do. Yesterday, I saw a sleep apnea specialist and tonight Im having a sleep study. The dr. yesterday said he doesnt think I have it but they like to be sure.Then on Wed. Im seeing a pulmonary specialist.That came from me. Ive had a croupy cough for a yr and I dont want pneumonia after surgery so they are sending me to see him. I have passed everything. After Wed. my surgeon will then apply to my insurance companies and get approval and then they will schedule my surgery. There is alot to it but I know it will all be worth it after surgery. I cant wait for my new life!!!!!!!! SN
   — suzette N.

August 25, 2009
I believe it depends on the type of Insurance you have. I have BCBS and they do not require any referls so my PCP had no idea i was going for the lap-band until the WLC requested for my 5 month medical history. But my PCP was very happy for me when i tried to get surgery last year and was denied by my insurance. Now I got approval and on my way to a new begining. Good Luck.
   — sjh921

August 25, 2009
I haven't had my WLS surgery yet, but I've had lots of other surgery in a number of different hospitals. I have always had to have a pre-op physical - sometimes by the hospital, sometimes by my PCP. In the case of WLS surgery, lots of tests are done pre-op. If the hospital or surgeon sees anything of concern in the results (i.e., something that could cause a problem during surgery), they want it checked out. I remember once there was something on my EKG that looked like I might have had a heart attack in the past. (I hadn't as far as I knew.) The hospital just sent my EKG results to a cardiologist for review, and it turned out to be nothing so I was "cleared" by the cardiologist. I didn't even have to SEE the cardiologist myself. Both the hospital and the surgeon would be liable if something happened to you and they had not made every effort to insure your safety, so I would assume (not always a good thing I know!) that both the hospital and the surgeon must agree that it's safe to operate on you.
   — Gail T.