Question:
What do I say when making my First appointment with the Doctor?
Hello! I am currently looking for a Doctor in my area. I am unsure what to say when calling to make the appt. Do I need a referral first, or do I just call up and say hello Id like to schedule an Appointment? I have already spoken to my pcp and she will give me a referral. Im just a little lost and confused as to how I should go about getting the ball rolling. Any help would be appreciated!! Thank you so much! ----On a side note. I love this site and the wonderful people on it!. You all must be the most courageous, amazing, inspiring people I have even met. Because of the stories I have read and the people I have spoke with, I feel I now have a chance to get my life back. So thank you from the bottom of my heart. **Big, Huge Hugs** — Michele W. (posted on January 24, 2004)
January 24, 2004
Unless your insurance requires a referral, all you have to do is call the
surgeon office of your choice and tell them you'd like an appt because you
are interested in the gastric bypass. That's what i did.
— Delores S.
January 24, 2004
It would depend on your insurance. Mine required a referral from my PCM and
then I had to find a Dr that was on my insurance list that did bariatric
surgery. I then called their office and asked about WLS. They required me
to fill out basicly an application and then they called me for my first
visit. Good luck!
— jenafwife
January 24, 2004
I contacted my primary doctor first. I told him I wanted to speak with him
about gastic by-pass surgery. I made an appointment. At that appointment
I went over my diet history and he ran some blood work. Two days later he
referred me to a surgeon. Simple as that. The surgeons office handled
everything after that.
— Renee B.
January 24, 2004
Hi, I saw my primary care dr. first and she made a referral to the
bariatric surgeon. One of the office staff actually sent the referral over
for me. Then I was instructed to wait until the surgery dpt called me.
No! No! No!
After a week or two, if you don't hear anything, then you can call the
bariatric surgery dpt, giving them your name and ask if they have received
your referral yet?
Now I do understand that different hospitals have their own set of
procedures, but the primary dr. or someone in his/her office can tell you
what the procedure is.
Anyway, don't worry about how you ask about it; wls is not something to be
ashamed of, even if the insurance companies and much of the general public
act as if it is. It is okay for you to call to inquire about wls just as
it would be okay to call about getting your tonsils out or a tooth pulled.
One more thing; you are not the only one though it might seem like it when
you are making your arrangements. You have all of us who have been there,
done that, even those of us pre-ops. Thanks. LM
— catly
January 24, 2004
Hi, I saw my primary care dr. first and she made a referral to the
bariatric surgeon. One of the office staff actually sent the referral over
for me. Then I was instructed to wait until the surgery dpt called me.
No! No! No!
After a week or two, if you don't hear anything, then you can call the
bariatric surgery dpt, giving them your name and ask if they have received
your referral yet?
Now I do understand that different hospitals have their own set of
procedures, but the primary dr. or someone in his/her office can tell you
what the procedure is.
Anyway, don't worry about how you ask about it; wls is not something to be
ashamed of, even if the insurance companies and much of the general public
act as if it is. It is okay for you to call to inquire about wls just as
it would be okay to call about getting your tonsils out or a tooth pulled.
One more thing; you are not the only one though it might seem like it when
you are making your arrangements. You have all of us who have been there,
done that, even those of us pre-ops. Thanks. LM
— catly
January 24, 2004
I went through the agony of looking for a supportive primary care physician
(I found one thanks to this site) after I was "fired" by my PCP
for even mentioning WLS! It was a heartbreaking and horrible experience,
let me tell you. Then I found that my surgeon did not require a PCP
recommendation if your insurance didn't require it. Check with surgeon and
insurance first. I wound up LOVING my new PCP and went to him for a lot of
different things other than WLS but the beginning of my journey was
extremely rough indeed. I could have circumvented it if I had checked with
surgeon and insurance.
— susanje
January 25, 2004
I was denied, by the first surgeon. So, when I went to the surgeon, that
performed my surgery, I was on my own. I simply called my surgeon and told
his receptionist that I wanted to make an appointment, for evaluation for
weight loss surgery. I did tell them that my PCP was supportive. They
will probably ask you some questions, over the phone, but just answer them
as truthfully as you can. Don't worry. Just call the surgeon and go from
there. You can email me, if you need to ask me any questions. My email
address is: [email protected]
— ladyboo
January 26, 2004
Hi, Sounds like your PCP is favorable of WLS. Does she know of a bariatric
surgeon she'd like to send you too? If so, call the surgeon and ask for an
appt for a consultation on WLS. Generally in the tri-state area, the wait
can be anywhere from 3 months-12 months, as I've found by calling 5 or 6
area surgeons. My insurance is self-funded so after I initially made an
appt with the surgeon, I called my insurance company and asked if they
covered gastic bypass and if there were any exclusions, and I believe I
gave them a code that the surgeon gave me. Good luck & feel free to
e-mail me.
— SJWendy
January 26, 2004
Forgot to mention, its a good idea to use the OH section, "Find a
Doc" to give you an idea of surgeons in your area. Your PCP could even
benefit from it, if she's unsure who to send you too. GL
— SJWendy
Click Here to Return