Question:
What can I do to get my surgery date?

I've done every thing accept my post op testing,and I can't seem to get them moving on that.my doctors nurse said they are not doing anything else until after the first of the year.That's not fair i'm ready to go now.    — Tanya H. (posted on December 6, 2002)

December 6, 2002
Easy question here. You cannot do anything but wait. I know its hard but you really dont have any options. Sorry
   — Delores S.

December 6, 2002
Hi Tanya. I bet I'll probably get flamed for posting this but it's the truth and maybe it's something that really should be said. Your doctors and nurses have said they are not doing any additional testing, etc. until after the first of the year. Why isn't this fair? They make the rules and we must abide by them. I know it isn't easy but it's simply part of the process. The surgeons and their employees and families have every right to want to lighten their load during the holidays. They are people too and most of them are very overloaded with work. Everyone deserves to enjoy this special time of year. It didn't take us a week or a month or a year to become morbidly obese. In the same manner it's going to take time to go through the preoperative process. The doctors, their staff and even most of the insurance companies are not the enemy. They are people - just like you and me - going about the business of making a living and doing their job. They can only do so much. I have seen this argument from both sides of the fence. When I was pre-op I wanted everything to hurry, hurry, hurry. Now, as a bariatric program coordinator I see have involved the process is and understand why it takes so much time. Even though it seems like it will take forever, once your day finally gets here you'll probably find yourself thinking "I can't believe it's already time for surgery!". You have to just wait it out and even though it may not feel like it......that's fair. Best wishes to you.
   — ronascott

December 7, 2002
What the previous posted said is true and is the reasonable way to look at it, but I'm with you - let's keep this moving. In your case I would even be happy to have dates right after the first of the year - at east it would be something definite. My stuff hasn't even been submitted for insurance approval yet and I am pushing my pulmonologist to get me a sleep study date. If he doesn;t do it early next week I will make it myself and have my internist call in the orders. It sometimes can take 1-2 months to get a sleep study. My surgery can't occur until sometime after January 1st as I need my new insurance to go into affect, which means all of the per-op testing has to wait also. But since I already have a different diagnosed sleep disorder and am already seeing a psychiatrist for years there is no reason these can't get out of the way. As sson as the psychiatrist gets his letter to the surgeon then the request for approval can go in. I have contacts at the insurance company that know this is coming and have told me they felt I would have my answer in 3-5 days after receipt of the letter. I expect the letter to go to insurance within 2 weeks. I was hoping for 1 week but I had to take the MMPI which they send out for scoring. She promised me she would have it back though within 2 week instead of the usual 2.<p>If I was you I would call and nicely ask if it is possible to gets dates set up for the various things that need to be done. If they refuse there isn't a lot you can do. Hang in there! I'm right there next to you pushing just as hard.
   — zoedogcbr

December 7, 2002
Its a unpopular position of mine thats its good delays are built into the system. WLS is a MAJOR decision and some post ops post here early on they are sorry and want reversed. If surgery was easier this would be a lot worse. Waiting impatiently helps us adjust to whats happening. While waiting attend support group meetings, take a post op to dinner, and buy a book about WLS while you hangng out here. Do ask nicely about pre op testing, and line up appointments you can. Also start walking every day. Healhier pre op makes for a faster recoovery. Trust me your date will come faster than you believe possible. I wanted it but it came so fast...
   — bob-haller